Beyond the Gap (Original)
by Promkastel
Summary: After watching his parents being murdered in front of him, a young planeswalker awakens his Spark and leaves Earth. Now after nine years, he finally returns home. Now, watch as he faces against this world's problems as well as deal with a plot that spans the entirety of the Multiverse itself. I suck at summaries. Planeswalker!Issei! (Being rewritten)
1. Homeward Bound

**Pyre: Alright, you know the drill. This is a new story. That doesn't mean that I won't continue my other story, Til Midnight. I'm just using this as a test chapter to see if this story gains traction... so to speak. Anyway, Magic the Gathering is owned by Wizards of the Coast and Highschool DxD is owned by Ichiei Ishibumi. Please support this official release.**

* * *

**Oreskos, Theros**

* * *

A young man with spiky brown hair and hazel eyes stood in front of a mosaic depicting a woman wearing a majestic white hooded cloak, silver armor with gold accents, and held a sword-spear triumphantly in the air as she stood above the body of a satyr. He laid down some flowers and began to pray. His white hooded cloak billowed in the cool morning breeze. Behind him stood a tall lion man with white fur and a jagged scar going down his left eye. The lion man was looking at Issei with his one blue eye in immense sadness. The boy wasn't the only one who had experienced loss in these troubling times. The woman on the mosaic was his sister in arms. A friend he could always trust to have his back.

"You can rest now Big Sister," the boy said clutching the cloak. He held his hands out his hands and in a flash of brilliant white light, summoned the very same weapon held by the woman in the mosaic. The weapon was beautiful in design. Its hilt was made of the brightest gold that shone like the sun itself. Embedded into the hilt was two large bluish-white pearls that glowed brightly whenever the light hit it. Its handle was long, at least as tall as Issei. It was wrapped in a black cloth with two gold rings encircling the cloth dividing it into three segments. The blade was sharp, impossibly so to the point where it could slay the Gods themselves.

"Issei, where will you go now?" the leonin asked the boy in front of him. Issei spoke without looking at the man.

"I don't know now, Master Ajani. I trained to be like Big Sister but now…," Issei trailed off as he kept staring at the sword-spear.

Ajani walked up and put a hand on the boy's shoulder. "You know, she wanted you to have her cloak and blade in case anything happened to her. I feel that you are ready to carry on her legacy," Ajani said, causing Issei's lips to slightly curl into a smile. It made him feel better, considering everything that just happened. "However, you must do one thing for her and for me. A Planeswalker always goes home no matter how far they go," the old lion said, causing Issei to look up at him in confusion.

"Tarkir?"

"No, your homeplane. Go and visit it," Ajani said as he took his hand off Issei's shoulder and began to walk to the doors. Sensing that the man was leaving, Issei turned around and ran to catch up to him.

"Wait, what do you mean go back? I haven't been back since my parents…" Issei was interrupted by the man.

"I know, but this is your chance to make peace with your past. She would have wanted that," Ajani said, stopping in his tracks and turned his gaze back to Issei.

Issei glanced back at the mosaic and stared for a few seconds before coming to a decision. "Alright," he sighed, "But I need to get some things from Tarkir and Innistrad first."

"You go do that young cub," Ajani said. The leonin suddenly glowed a brilliant white before vanishing from the Hall without a trace.

Issei chuckled as he engulfed himself in a swirl of yellow-white mist before disappearing from the Hall, leaving absolutely no trace of his presence.

* * *

**Tarkir**

* * *

Issei flashed into existence in front of a massive winding ravine. Above him, storms of power and energy crackled across the sky. The energy raged and surged as dragons were seemingly birthed from the raging power. Harsh winds buffeted the terrain forcing Issei to raise his cloak in order to shield himself from the brutality of the tempest. Issei walked using the sword-spear as support until he came to the very edge of the ravine. Issei formed a ball of white energy and fired it into the sky rupturing into a thunderous explosion once it reached the storm clouds.

The ground shook as if responding to the white flare. The storm began to converge upon Issei's location as a torrent of turquoise energy swirled from the ravine and into the sky. The energy coalesced and formed a massive blue-green dragon with feathery wings. Its horns were curved like that of a bull's and it sported a slight beard on its chin. Its neck had a hood like that of a cobra. The dragon turned its blue eyes towards a grinning and waving Issei.

The dragon landed in front of him, causing the ground to shake. "It has been a while, Issei," the dragon rumbled out in a deep voice that held immense power inside it.

"Ugin, I've come here to retrieve someone," Issei said to the Elder Dragon. Ugin looked at Issei and nodded before letting out an earth-shattering roar. A large red western dragon with green eyes flew down from the sky and landed next to Ugin.

"What is it old man?" the red dragon growled out.

"Ddraig, Issei is here for you," Ugin said as he summoned a familiar red gauntlet with a green gem in the middle. Ddraig looked down at Issei, who waved at him much like he did Ugin. The Red Dragon of Domination flashed him a fanged grin.

"Ise! You haven't summoned me at all for a while now! How was Theros?" Ddraig said. Upon hearing his words, Issei's joyful expression dropped along with his head. He stared at the ground in silence. Seeing his partner go quiet, it was only then that he noticed that Issei had arrived alone. Ddraig finally saw what his partner was wearing and what he held in his hands. Her blade and her cloak were now in Issei's possession. Ddraig lowered his head in silence as if knowing fully what had transpired upon the world of Theros.

"I see. I'm sorry," he said lowering his head.

"It's alright. She would've wanted me to stay happy even in the wake of her death," Issei said.

"I see she gave you Godsend," Ugin said, eyeing the blade in Issei's hands. Issei nodded, gripping the handle of the blade tightly.

"I'm going home. To the plane, I came from," Issei blurted out suddenly. Ddraig looked surprised. He thought Issei would never want to go back after what happened to his parents.

"Are you sure about this, Issei?" Ddraig asked him. Issei nodded with resolve burning in his eyes.

"Well then Partner, I'm with you on this. Let's let that world know that the Red Dragon Emperor is back!" Ddraig said, silently plotting the downfall of his rival and his host. Issei chuckled at his partner's antics before a realization struck his mind. They would have to bring _her_ with them. Issei groaned at the thought. She was not the best at social interactions.

"Hey, Ddraig, we might have to go to Innistrad to get… her," Issei told him. Ddraig froze and Ugin shook his head in amusement.

"You might want to ask Sorin first on that. Innistrad wouldn't do well without one of its guardians," Ugin said. "Ddraig, from what you told me of that world, I believe it would be better if you entered the Sacred Gear once more. Don't worry, your soul won't be bound to it. You can leave anytime you wish."

Ddraig nodded and allowed Ugin to put him inside the Boosted Gear. Ugin then grabbed the Gear and merged it back with Issei's being.

"What an interesting artifact," Ugin mused.

"I'd rather fight Griselbrand and his horde of demons than do something like this again," Issei said groaning as he gripped his chest.

"You might as well get going to Innistrad. Wouldn't want to keep her waiting," Ugin said before taking off into the skies of Tarkir. With every beat of his wings, another mighty storm weaved itself into the atmosphere

**[Let's go, Partner]** Ddraig said to him. Issei nodded and disappeared in a swirl of yellow and white smoke.

* * *

**Thraben, Innistrad**

* * *

Issei arrived outside in a forest a walk away from the gates of a massive walled city. In the distance, he saw a church with a massive silver spire that had an upside-down omega symbol. As he arrived at the gates, he was met by a pair of spears being held by armor-clad city guards with the intent of barring his entrance into the city. Issei looked at them and then looked upward seeing several archers with their arrows aimed at his very face.

"Halt! Papers, please," the guard said.

"I don't have any pape-"

"Then turn around and leave. Our city gets enough vagabonds as it is," the other guard said.

"Let him in," a female voice called out from behind them.

"Lady Thalia!" both guards saluted upon hearing the words of their Lady Thalia. Thalia was a beautiful woman with a slim figure. She wore a captain's uniform with a white vest over it that had an insignia on it identical to the symbol found on the town's church signifying that she was a woman of faith despite her militaristic clothing She had long, white-blonde hair and sapphire-blue eyes with light skin.

"Issei," Thalia said cheerfully.

"I'm here to see her," he said. Thalia sighed and led him in.

"Thank Avacyn you're here," she said. "She's been a nuisance since you left. Sure, helping free Our Lady Avacyn was a plus, but now, she just roosts at the top of the church," Thalia said as she led him down the busy streets of Thraben. Children ran around playing and taking joy in their youth. Such a sight of innocence brought a smile to their faces. These children would never have to experience what she and Issei had experienced. No more living in fear of the night. No more monsters.

"This place has really changed since she was released, huh?" Issei said.

"Yeah, it has," Thalia said wistfully fully remembering that day when the golden helix ruptured the sky and an angelic figure soared into the air bringing light into Innistrad once more.

After a while of walking, they arrived at a massive cathedral. It was made of stone with ornate statues of angels that decorated its walls. There were three spires with two at the front and one at the back all surrounding a massive tower at the center. Issei and Thalia walked through the double doors and Issei looked up to see a stained glass window depicting a white-haired angelic goddess.

"Thalia," an old man called out from the sanctuary of the church. "What brings you here?" Mikaeus said to Thalia. The old man noticed Issei standing next to her and greeted him.

"Issei. I think I know why you two are here. It is an honor to have you in our church again, Champion of Gisela," the old man said.

"Yeah, Mikeaus, Lady Gisela needs a break. Issei here has offered to take her on vacation," Thalia jutted her thumb to him.

"Wonderful. She has been… rather lazy as of late. She just roosts on top of the Church. Ladies Bruna and Sigarda are worried about her," Mikaeus said.

"Umm, yeah, could you perhaps take me to her?" Issei asked the priest.

"Of course!" he said. Mikaeus led the two to a set of spiral stairs that led to the top of the central tower. After nearly an hour of climbing the stairs, they arrived at the top of the spire. Issei immediately spotted who he was looking for. There, sitting on the railing was a woman with crimson hair wearing a high-collar white battle dress with silver pauldrons on her shoulders and a silver armor around her chest and torso. Behind her lay two swords whose blades were embedded into the ground. Her most noticeable features were a pair of massive white wings that came out her back. Sensing three mana signatures behind her, the woman slowly turned her gaze towards the three. Her eyes were the purest shade of sapphire blue. These same eyes lit up upon seeing Issei.

"Issei. You came back," she said getting up and giving him a hug. "Why are you-" her eyes widened slightly when she saw her cloak wrapped around Issei. She looked to Issei who simply noticed her gaze and looked down.

"Issei, I'm so sorry," she said.

"It's alright. I'm coping… That's not why I came anyway, Gisela, you wanna come with me back to my home-plane. Ddraig is coming too," Issei said.

The now named Gisela looked at Issei before pondering on her answer. On one hand, her sisters would finally stop pestering her to take a break and she would be able to see another world; on the other, Innistrad would be left with one less Archangel to defend it. After a few minutes of deliberation, she finally made her decision.

"I accept," Gisela said with her wings fluttering at the excitement of adventure. She had never seen another world before. Her only indication of knowing about the other worlds were stories she would hear from the planeswalker that visited their world every now and then.

"You ready?" Issei asked. Gisela nodded.

"I shall await your summons," she said as she picked up her swords.

Issei nodded.

_I haven't been back for a while so getting a clear picture in my head will be hard,_ Issei said as he began to picture his hometown. An image of a small town in Japan popped into his head. He envisioned the park where he and Rin used to play. He envisioned his old house. The images became more clear and Issei finally disappeared in a flash of yellow-white mist.

* * *

**Kuoh Town, Japan, 7:45 PM**

* * *

Issei arrived in the middle of the park. Seeing that the sun was setting, he began to walk off.

**[I think you need new clothes]** Ddraig said as he watched through Issei's eyes. Everyone was looking at him thinking he was cosplaying.

"Y-yeah. Let me find an alleyway and summon Gisela," he said. Issei began to explore the town of his youth. It had slightly changed in the nine years he had been gone. New stores had come into business and apparently, the formerly all-girls school was now co-ed.

After walking for a few hours, Issei happened upon an unsuspecting warehouse in an empty part of the town. He found it a little odd. There were caution tapes surrounding some of the buildings but since he didn't live here for a long while, Issei had no idea what they meant.

"Caution?" he asked himself. _What the hell was so dangerous in an empty part of town that needed to be blocked off?_, he thought as he walked inside the warehouse.

"Okay, let-" his instincts went on overdrive as he ducked out of the way. He turned and saw something that nearly made him wretch.

"I smell human," the female abomination said as she walked out. Her upper body was that of a human but her lower body was like that of a horse-monster thing.

"What the hell are you?" Issei said as white and red energy gathered in his palms.

"I don't like playing with my food but I shall tell you my name. You are my hundreth meal in this town after all. I am Viser," she said. Viser sniffed the air taking in Issei's scent "Hmm, you smell divine~ I wonder how you'll taste if I cook you medium rare!" Viser licked her lips in delight at the sight of Issei.

Issei looked at her blankly. Why did every monster he ever met try to eat him?

Viser threw one of her clawed hands at Issei, forcing him to duck out of the way. Issei raised his palms and fired a helical bolt of lightning that pierced straight through Viser's chest killing her instantly. Energy flowed from the bolt and into Issei. He sighed. Even in this world, he always had to fight monsters.

**[Just summon Gisela and find a place to stay. I want to get out of this gear]** Ddraig huffed from inside.

"Yeah, yeah," he said as he began to gather white mana into his hands. He needed to get to a plains soon. His stockpiled white mana was going to run out if he didn't make it to a leyline and establish a connection. Luckily, there were mountains here in Japan. He could just go to one of those, establish a connection, and draw upon all the red mana he needed. Though, he cursed himself for not having a blue alignment. If he was blue aligned, Issei would have instantly made a connection to the leyline of Japan considering that it was all islands. The white and red mana swirled and formed a sphere that soon exploded outward creating a small crater. Gisela stood at the center with her massive wings spread and her swords in her hands. Gisela turned and saw Viser's corpse and had a look of disgust on her face.

"I guess even other worlds suffer from monsters," she said.

"Yeah, c'mon. We need to get somewhere and get some rest," Issei said as they walked out of the warehouse never noticing the small bat-like creature that quickly flew out.

* * *

**Old School Building, Kuoh Academy**

* * *

A beautiful red-haired woman sat at her desk looking over some papers. She had a figure that made men drool and women jealous with massive breasts, a plump, round rear, and long legs. Her hair was long reaching down to her back and her eyes were the purest shade of blue. She noticed a bat fly in and land in front of her.

"What?" she said.

The bat began to chirp frantically making gestures that the woman seemed to understand.

"An angel? Here? In Kuoh?" the woman asked.

The bat nodded.

"I see. Akeno!" she said.

A woman with black hair tied in a ponytail with violet eyes walked into the room. Like the woman, she had a buxom figure though her chest was larger than the redhead's by a margin.

"Yes, Rias-sama," Akeno said.

"Contact Sona and tell her to keep an eye out for an angel," Rias said. Akeno nodded and bowed before disappearing in a magic circle. Rias looked out the window and began to think.

_What is an angel doing here in Kuoh?_

* * *

**Alright, so that's the first chapter. Issei is Red and White. Red because of Ddraig and the White will be explained later but to say one thing, I'm Red Black Blue and Green White master races with Red and White coming in as a second for me. Remember, this chapter will see whether or not I should continue this story so review, fav, follow, etc. Also, who do you think would win in a fight: Nicol Bolas or Great Red? Remember to have a great day or not, the choice is yours!~**


	2. The Two New Kids

**So, we have another chapter. I'm so happy the first chapter received such a good reception from you guys. I noticed a lack of MTG DxD crossovers and decided to fix that immediately. If you're here to read this but don't know any of the lore behind the story, then please read. I'll try to input as many pieces of lore when appropriately possible. Now, I need to talk about changes in the canon plots of both verses. The DxD verse will be subject to the rules of the mana cap meaning that they will need to gather energy to cast spells. Wizard types draw upon the mana running through the plane like every mage in MTG to cast spells. Another thing is that the Kendo Girls and the Perverted Duo will play a larger role in this fic as in this fic, I'm making them Issei's childhood friends along with Irina. I'll also be adding two Planeswalkers from Issei's world. It will be two members from the cast. One male. One female Who they are will be a secret. Another thing, this story will be a single pairing. If you read my other story, you would know that I favor Kuroka and Irina above the other girls in DxD so it will be either Irina or Kuroka. (most likely Irina). **

**One more thing, Issei is Red-White Aligned. His chosen style of magic is Dracomancy (Dragon Magic) and Angelology (Angel Magic) meaning that Issei can summon Angels and Dragons as well as use spells like Form of the Dragon, Entreat the Angels, Angelic Gift, and Dragon Tempest. That doesn't mean that Issei is limited to those spells alone. He will be able to use other spells like Divine Favor and Searing Spear. In the last chapter, he used Lightning Helix on Viser. Without further ado, you know the drill.**

**I don't own Highschool DxD or Magic the Gathering. High School DxD is owned by Ichie Ishibumi and Magic the Gathering is owned by Wizards of the Coast. Please support the official release.**

* * *

**[Ddraig talking]**

_**[Ddraig thinking]**_

_Mental Communication_

"Regular Dialogue"

**Attacks/Spells**

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**Kuoh Town, Japan, 7:30 AM, September 6, 2019**

* * *

Issei yawned tiredly as he locked the door to his house and began to walk towards Kuoh Academy. The past few days since he arrived were the most hectic days he had since he, Ajani, and Elspeth had fought an insane satyr hellbent on godhood. He and Gisela had gone to a clothing store and bought copious amounts of clothes. Sadly, they didn't have anything other than _solid gold coins_, which the manager and the staff tried to return to them but Issei had told them that they had no other forms of currency to barter with. The manager had been kind enough to point Issei and Gisela in the direction of a gold exchange in which they walked into with a bag of gold coins and walked out with two large carts of yen. Their coins were made of pure 24k gold and a bag of literally 150 gold coins that took Issei five years to gather, got them a lot of money.

After that, Issei had gotten a hotel room for the two to stay at for the night. The staff had given the two knowing looks that resulted in the two stammering and stating that they were… cousins! That was the most horrifying experience in Issei's short 17-year life and Gisela's thousands of years of life. They were not like that!

The next day, Issei had walked out into the city to try and get them a more permanent stay of living. He looked around town when he heard someone call him. When his parents, the police had put out a search warrant for him but after a few months of searching, he was declared dead until now. How someone recognized him so easily Issei did not know? Perhaps they were mentalists or something? Anyway, the person had introduced themselves as Issei's neighbor and a friend of Issei's mom.

He had been taken to the police station where he was immediately questioned on his whereabouts. His fake story and excuse were that the people who murdered his parents had kidnapped him but some time along the way out of Japan, Issei had escaped and had been running from his kidnappers for a couple of years now. The police nodded and accepted his story partly due to not wanting to awaken whatever trauma he had and a combination of Issei using the last bit of blue mana stored in his Chromatic Lantern. He thanked whatever supreme deity there was in the Multiverse for him remembering to bring said artifact with him. The lantern stored all five colors of mana which Issei mainly used to power his spells and not cast any specific colored spells. Issei was mainly based around Red and White Mana but he could cast the most basic spells of other colors. Only the basics. Other than that, he couldn't cast anything else so a small mind spell that would make every illusionist, mentalist, and every other mind mage laugh took a lot effort for him partly because he was going against his Red Alignment.

The authorities had then gone on to tell him that his parents had left a will and on the will, it stated that the house was his. So the rest of the day was transferring the house from his parents' name to his own which after, he just collapsed on the floor with Gisela having to bring everything else inside.

The next thing on Issei's agenda was school. He needed to gain more information about his home-plane beyond the ability to read and write the language. He knew next to nothing about this world other than A. whatever the hell Ddraig had told him and B. how to read and write Japanese and other mundane things. Issei had found a good school with five-star reviews called Kuoh Academy. It used to be an all-girls school recently turned co-ed and he decided to enroll himself and Gisela considering that he was an emancipated minor so that's where he was going today.

"Hey, Issei! Are you coming!" he saw Gisela calling to him from the gates. Her long red hair was tied in a ponytail and she wore a white shirt with black shorts and long socks and black shoes.

Issei nodded and followed her. The school itself was rather large with two large metal gates. The store was four stories in height and looked rather… Issei had no comparison for how to describe the building but it looked like one of the houses at Markov Estate on Innistrad.

The presence of the two had caught the stares of the entire student body, mainly Gisela. The boys had begun to stare at her, mainly at her chest and rear which made her glare at them. Hushed whispers could be heard but from what the two could make out was.

"_She looks like Rias-oneesama!"_

"_Are those two new students?"_

"_That bishonen can go die but the girl can stay!'_

"_92-60-83!"_

The last one Issei had no idea what it meant. Perhaps it was some sort of coded language they came up with here. Hey, he had been away for nine years so whatever customs this plane had developed while he was away, he was not familiar with. The two paused along the way to ask where they could go enroll and they were directed to the student council room.

After showing them the way, the two thanked the student and knocked on the door. The door was opened by a beautiful girl. Perhaps not as beautiful as Gisela but pretty up there. She was tall with long black hair that reached down to her waist. She had glasses and had hazel colored eyes.

"Can we help you?" the girl asked.

"Um, my cousin and I are here to enroll," Issei said.

The girl quirked an eyebrow and led them in. At the end of the room, there was another girl. She was shorter than the one who had opened the door. Her hair was short and styled in a bob-cut and she had violet eyes that held an intense gaze.

"Tsubaki, who are these two?" the woman asked.

"Sona-Kaichou, these two are here to enroll in the school," Tsubaki said to her. Sona eyed the two. The woman felt normal for all intents and purposes but the man…

_A Sacred Gear?_ She thought as she assessed him. _Perhaps I can get him into my peerage,_ Sona thought.

"Well, then, please sit," Sona said as she gestured to two chairs in front of her desk. "What is your name?"

Issei decided to go first and introduced himself. "My name is Issei Hyoudou. I'm from here but I was… gone for a lack of better terms," he said.

Sona nodded. She figured that from his name, he was the child who had gone missing several years back. It was still the talk of the town and became the topmost gossiped topic in the school since it was announced by the authorities that he had miraculously come back.

"And you are?" Sona turned to the redhead sitting next to him.

"Oh, my name is Gisela. Gisela Markov!" she said bowing slightly. "I'm Issei's cousin from Europe."

"I see. What made you want to come here to Kuoh?"

"My parents were worried about him so they sent me here with him to make sure he stays out of trouble," she replied. Sona nodded.

"Well, since you are both minors, I'll have to ask your legal guardian to-" Sona was interrupted by Issei.

"Um, I'm an emancipated minor," Issei said weakly. Sona blinked not expecting that.

"Okay… I guess I'll have you fill out some papers but your cousin will have to get her guardian or parents to come here and fill them out," Sona said.

_Crapbaskets! What do we do!_ Issei thought frantically.

"Miss…" Gisela began.

"Shitori," she said.

"Miss Shitori. My sisters are all really busy people so if you don't mind. Can Issei here fill my papers out?" Gisela said to her.

Sona pondered her request for a few minutes.

"Fine, I will allow it but at some point in the future, I will need to speak with your sisters. Are they your legal guardians?" Sona said. Gisela nodded at her words, but winced at the thought of bringing her sisters here. Sigarda and Bruna. Yes. The two were kind and laid back. They did their duties and interacted with the people of Innistrad. But Avacyn, no, she would never bring her here. The woman was worse than she was when it came to social interactions. She guessed that being created and raised by a vampire planeswalker who was away for most of the time on top of being cast into Hell itself for decades was crippling for one's ability to socialize. How people worshipped her was beyond her knowledge but Avacyn has shown that she was highly uncomfortable with all these people holding her up as God.

"Thank you!" Issei said. He began to fill out both their applications. After nearly an hour of writing, Issei felt his hand cramp up as he finished Gisela's application. He handed them to Sona who handed them to Tsubaki to be filed.

"You start on Monday. Tsubaki will come by your house with your uniforms ready later this evening," Sona said, pushing up her glasses.

The two nodded and got up leaving the room.

"Sona-sama," Tsubaki said.

"Yeah, that boy has a Sacred Gear and from the feel of it, it's a Longinus," Sona said.

"Shall I inform Rias-sama?" Tsubaki asked.

"Yes. But tell her not to make any moves. His Longinus is awakened and I don't want our peerages to get annihilated by a Longinus user," Sona replied going back to her work.

* * *

**Hyoudou Household, 7:00 PM**

* * *

Issei and Gisela sat on the living room floor trying to build a couch that they had purchased. They had gone furniture shopping after they had left school. He was recommended to a store called Ikea so they went there. Issei had bought the furniture but now they had the task of building it.

"UGHHH! Why in Avacyn's name is this so complicated!?" Gisela threw the screw across the living room. She was currently wearing a white tank top and black biker shorts.

Issei screwed another bolt into place ignoring his friend's outburst. Issei currently wore black jogging pants and a redshirt. Ddraig was curled up next to him, snoring lightly in his sleep.

"C' mon Gisela, it's not that hard," Issei said, screwing on the last bolt completing their chair. "Help me with this," he said as he picked up one end of the chair. She stood up and grabbed the other end and they moved the couch to the center of the living room.

"Hmm, it looks nice," she said.

Issei grabbed the couch cushions and throw pillows and placed them on the couch.

"Great! All we need now is to build the beds!" Issei said as he picked up one of the other two boxes. Gisela groaned and went to pick up the other box when she heard someone knocking on the door.

Gisela quickly dashed to the door and opened it. It was Tsubaki and some white-haired little girl with yellow eyes. Gisela looked down at her. Like Tsubaki, they felt similar to the devils back on Innistrad only weaker.

"Markov-san, we're here to give you your uniforms," Tsubaki told her, holding out two plastic bags.

Gisela accepted the two bags and thanked her. As she began to close the door, Tsubaki began to talk.

"What are you two doing?" she said.

"Putting our furniture together," Gisela said.

"Do you need any help putting them together?" Tsubaki asked.

"No, we wouldn't want you to waste your tim-"

"As the Vice-President of the Student Council, it is my duty to help students," Tsubaki said firmly.

Gisela could only stay quiet at her declaration.

"I'll help too," Gisela turned her gaze to the small white-haired female who accompanied Tsubaki.

"Oh, I never got your name! I'm Gisela. Gisela Markov and you are?" Gisela asked.

"Toujou. Koneko Toujou," the girl said as she grabbed more sweets out of a bag she had seemingly produced from nowhere.

"I see," Gisela said. "Would you like to come in?"

Tsubaki and Koneko walked in to see Issei bringing a large Ikea box up the stairs. "Hey, a little help?" he asked.

Koneko immediately walked over and began to help him carry the box upstairs.

"Wow, you're pretty strong for someone so small," Issei remarked as the two carried the box upstairs.

"Right, can you perhaps help me carry my box to my room?" Gisela asked her. Tsubaki nodded and the two walked upstairs, carrying the large box. The two stopped outside a room a little ways from the stairs on their left. Kicking open the door with her foot, Gisela walked into the room with Tsubaki, carrying the box. They set the box down and Gisela grabbed a box cutter and began to open the box.

"So how do you like Kuoh so far?" Tsubaki asked as she began to open the instruction manual.

"I like it here. Living in a large city tends to become boring," Gisela said, remembering all the times she had to slaughter undead hordes outside of various cities, villages, and hamlets in Innistrad. Good times. "How about you? How long have you lived here in Kuoh?" Gisela asked her.

"I recently moved here three years ago to go to Kuoh," she said. "My parents and I never got along so I moved out and ran away when I was a kid. Sona's parents were more than kind enough to take me in. I guess it's one of the main reasons I came here is to stick with Sona. She helped give me a new life," Tsubaki began to reminisce upon her memories of her first meeting with the Sitri Family.

"I see," Gisela said as she attempted to try and screw on some of the bolts to her bed.

"How about you? What's your family like?" Tsubaki asked her.

Gisela froze at her question. Her sisters. What could she possibly say about them? "Ummm, well, I have three sisters. Their names in order of age are Sigarda, Bruna, and Avacyn," Gisela said.

Tsubaki nodded.

"My older sister, Sigarda, acts more like a mother than a sister. She works as an obstetrician in the hospital in the town where we live," she explained. "My other older sister, Bruna, is the most relaxed and carefree of all of us. Bruna works as a coroner in a morgue, performing autopsies on the bodies of the deceased. My sister, Avacyn, is the chief of police in our hometown. She always protected people, especially children from those who would seek to do them harm. However, Avacyn never really did well in social interactions so she came off as sort of aloof," she finished.

Tsubaki smiled. Gisela must have admired her sisters if she spoke about them with such praise.

The two continued to make small talk until they finished building the bed. After moving the bed into place, Gisela and Tsubaki walked down the stairs, continuing their idle conversation. They talked mostly of upcoming school days and Kuoh in general.

Upon arriving down the stairs, the two women noticed Issei and Koneko sitting on the couch, watching TV. Koneko was eating something that Gisela recognized. It was that sweet confection that Issei had brought from Ravnica from time to time. Dragon Tarts. Despite their name, Dragon Tarts held no actual dragon in them. They were small pieces of bread that contained the sweetest, most pure chocolate inside of them and judging by Koneko's face, which was one of pure bliss, she loved them.

"Koneko, we really must go. Hyoudou-san and Markov-san need to get ready for their first day at Kuoh on Thursday," Tsubaki said to Koneko.

The small girl looked blankly at her before sighing. She just wanted more of these Dragon Tarts as Issei called them.

"Don't worry. I'll bring you some on the first day," Issei said to her, petting her head. Koneko closed her eyes and began to purr contentedly, leaning into his hand. She opened her eyes and got out from under his grasp and walked over to Tsubaki. The two bowed and bade them farewell before leaving.

After the door closed, Ddraig appeared on Issei's shoulder. "You two are becoming pretty chummy with those two devils," he said, yawning.

"You know I don't judge someone by their race, Ddraig," Issei replied to the dragon perched on his shoulder.

"How about you, Archangel?" he said.

"I mean, I don't feel comfortable but as Issei said, I won't judge partly because these aren't the devils I'm familiar with so I don't know what their kind is really like apart from stories," Gisela told the dragon.

Ddraig nodded satisfied by their answers.

* * *

**Old School Building, 11:25 PM**

* * *

Tsubaki and Koneko appeared outside of an old school building. The old school building was a three-story school building with the third story serving as a clock tower. It was painted white with a black roof and vines creeping up its walls giving it an ominous air. The building was located behind the Academy. Tsubaki opened the door and walked up to a set of stairs to the main foyer of the building. The living room was a wood-paneled room with Victorian-era couches and chairs lining the walls. Rias's desk sat at the end of the room with said piece of furniture being occupied by its owner. Sona Sitri, Akeno Himejima, and a handsome blond boy with grey eyes and a mole underneath his left eye sat on the couches.

"Well?" Sona asked her queen.

"I delivered the uniforms as instructed and we slipped leaflets for both our and Rias-sama's peerage. Also, I was able to confirm that Issei did hold a Longinus but which one I could not tell," Tsubaki said.

Rias and Sona nodded.

"Anything you would like to add Koneko?" Rias asked the young girl.

"Sweets. He has good sweets," she said.

Rias sweatdropped at her answer while Sona just pinched the bridge of her nose.

* * *

**Kuoh Academy, September 9, 2019, 8:00 PM**

* * *

Issei waited nervously outside Class 2-B. Gisela had been enrolled as a third-year due to her looking older than Issei and had been led away by Tsubaki to their class.

"You can come in now," he heard a voice said from the door. Issei gulped and walked into the classroom.

_C'mon_ _Issei. You've fought dragons, demons, gods, and a psychotic Elder Dragon Planeswalker hellbent on destroying the entire Multiverse in an attempt to regain his powers_._ You can do this_, he thought as he faced the class.

The class was whispering as they looked at Issei with their scrutinizing gaze.

"Please introduce yourself," the teacher said.

"Um, oh right! My name is Hyoudou Issei. I'm 17. Please take care of me," he said, bowing deeply.

The class began to talk amongst themselves.

"He's so cute."

"I wonder if he's single."

"Goddamnit! Die bishonen!"

"Alright, alright. Does anyone have any questions?" the teacher said, calming the class down.

"Yes, Motohama?"

"I-Issei… Is that really you?" the spectacled man asked.

"Uh, yeah, last time I checked. I'm still Issei," he said.

"Issei… you're back," the bald one sitting next to him said.

"Umm, do I know you two?" he said, completely confused by their words and reactions.

"Issei, it's us. Your friends. You, me, Motohama, Irina, Murayama, and Katase all used to hang out together," the bald student said.

"Matsuda," Motohama said.

"I'm sorry. I don't remember much of my life in Kuoh outside of my parents and someone named Rin," he said.

"Does that mean that you don't know who we are?" a brown-haired girl called from another seat. She had small tears forming at the edge of her eyes.

Issei shook his head.

"Murayama…" Matsuda said.

"R-right. Issei, please sit next to Katase. Katase, raise your hand," the teacher said. A girl with pink-orange hair raised her hand. Smiling gratefully, Issei walked over to the girl and found an empty desk next to her. He sat down and began to pull out school supplies.

The teacher had begun to lecture them about how to do some formulas and algebra. Honestly, Issei didn't know what she was talking about. Everything that was on the board was considered basic math to him ever since he spent several months exploring the various guilds of the plane of Ravnica, particularly, Izzet League.

He could do formulas like this in his sleep.

"Hyoudou. What is the answer to the math problem up on the board?"

He looked at the equation. _Sin x= -½? Child's play,_ Issei thought.

"{7/6π+2Kπ}," Issei said off-handedly. The entire class turned their heads to him in shock. He did all of that in a second and in his head! Not even Kiba could do that.

"U-um that is correct!" she said. The teacher calmed herself down and continued with the class. She never once called upon Issei again.

* * *

The bell rang signaling that it was lunchtime. Issei pulled out a small sandwich that he made for himself and Gisela and began to eat. Footsteps caught his attention as he saw four people standing over his desk. It was Matsuda, Motohama, Murayama, and Katase standing next to his desk.

"Um, hey," Issei said.

"Hey," Motohama greeted.

"Look, I know you don't remember much but how about we hang out this weekend? Jog your memories of Kuoh," Matsuda offered.

Issei pondered their offer for a minute. It would be nice to remember more about this place than what he currently remembered. Maybe they could tell him more about the town and where his parents were buried so he could go and visit them after nine years. He also wanted to know where he could find someone to build a statue so that he could have a small shrine to Elspeth in the house to pay his respects to as well.

"Yeah, sure," Issei said, his lips curling into a smile.

"Great!" Katase said, clapping her hands together.

The small group of five began to talk. Issei was asked by the four where he had been and what happened. Issei fed them the same story he had told the cops. That he was kidnapped and he escaped. He caught a flight to Europe where he was found by his cousins.

"Issei!" a voice caught all their attention. Matsuda and Motohama began to blush and drool as Gisela walked into the classroom.

"What a beauty," Motohama sighed in content as he stared at her.

"Yeah. She's like an angel," Matsuda said.

Murayama and Katase were in shock and awe. A woman this beautiful knew Issei. She was perhaps even more beautiful than the Four Great Ladies. Everywhere she walked, she turned heads as she made her way to the group.

"Issei!" she said, flashing him a bright smile.

"Gisela," Issei said, looking at her and eating his sandwich.

Motohama and Matsuda, for the first time, were speechless. Even around the Four Great Ladies, they could speak and form coherent words but this angelic woman in front of them just couldn't be described. It was as if attempting to describe her would diminish her beauty.

"Issei, do you know her?" Katase asked.

"Yeah, she's my cousin," he said.

"What!? This extremely hot girl is your cousin!" Matsuda grabbed Issei's collar and brought him close to his face. "You have to introduce us!"

Motohama nodded in agreement, causing Murayama and Katase to sigh in exasperation. Matsuda and Motohama were known as the biggest perverts in the entire school. Their nickname as a group was the Perverted Duo and could be caught peeping outside the Girls' Locker Room. Murayama and Katase could be seen either beating them or bailing them out of whatever hole they had dug themselves into.

"R-right… Guys, this is Gisela Markov. Gisela, these are Motohama, Matsuda, Murayama, and Katase," he said, gesturing to each person as he mentioned their names.

"Oh, how nice to meet you! It's so nice to see Issei making friends. He didn't have many back in Europe," she said to them.

"Oh, well, it's no problem," Matsuda said, looking away with a blush staining his cheeks.

"Y-yeah," Motohama said, rubbing the back of his head.

The entire class's jaws dropped. No one had ever made the Perverted Duo act in such a manner. _NO ONE_.

"Um, Markov-san," Katase began.

"Gisela. Please call me Gisela," she said.

"R-right, Gisela. Thank you for taking care of Issei. He was our friend before he disappeared and we were worried about him for years. Anyway, what we're trying to say is thank you. Thank you for bringing him back to us," she said, bowing to her.

"O-oh, it's no problem really! Please don't bow!" Gisela said, frantically trying to get the girl to lift her head.

The bell rang, startling the group. Gisela bade them farewell and promised to see them after school had ended. The day went on as a normal school day would. The teacher droning on and on about random, useless topics that they would never use again the minute they entered university. It honestly confused Issei. He had never thought about it when he went to elementary school here but after being with the Izzet League during his time in Ravnica for a few weeks, he had learned a lot. More than he ever learned in his three years of schooling here back before he Ascended.

The bell rang signaling that the day had ended. Issei packed his things and began to walk out of class when he felt someone staring at him. Issei turned around and saw a blonde man with handsome features and blue eyes that could swoon any unsuspecting female. He had a mole underneath his left eye which seemed to enhance his already handsome features and give him the air of a prince, or more accurately, a knight.

"Can I help you?" Issei asked him.

"Oh, I'm sorry if I'm bothering you. My name is Kiba. Kiba Yuuto. We're in the same class. I just wanted to introduce myself to you but…," he trailed off. Kiba had attempted to make his way over to Issei during lunch but stopped when he felt the overprotective aura coming from the Perverted Duo and the Kendo Girls. It made him shiver. Him, a devil.

"R-right… I'm Issei Hyoudou," he said, extending his hand. Kiba firmly grasped it and shook his hand.

"Pleased to meet you," Kiba said. Issei let go of Kiba's hand.

"Well, I better get going," Issei said, gesturing to the door.

"Oh, please, don't let me keep you," Kiba said as he began to pack the rest of his things.

* * *

Issei walked out of the classroom and headed to the gate where he spotted Gisela waiting there for him. She was talking to Motohama, Matsuda, Murayama, and Katase. Issei smiled when he saw the cheerful expression on her face. He was happy to give Gisela the chance to experience the life of a normal girl away from the constant warfare against the Demons on Innistrad.

As he made his way over, he heard a voice call out to him. "Please wait!" Issei turned around and saw a girl running over to him. She had raven black hair that reached down to her lower back and amethyst colored eyes. Her school uniform consisted of a dark red jacket with the letter "P" embroidered in gold, a white undershirt, a red bow, and a green skirt with a thin white strip around the lower end of it. On top of that, Issei noticed that she had a rather large bust.

**[Partner, be careful with this one. She is a Fallen Angel]** Ddraig rumbled from within his mind.

"_Got it_," Issei said to him over their link.

"Umm, you're Issei Hyoudou, right? You're a second-year here in Kuoh?" she asked.

"Um sure, yeah, that's me, why?" he asked.

The girl's eyes lit up when he said those words.

"M-my name is Y-Yuuma Amano. And I wanted to know if you… if you," she said, struggling to get the words out of her mouth.

"If I would what?" Issei asked.

"Will you go out with me!?" Issei was taken aback by her words. What the hell? He literally just got here. But from what Ddraig had told him, this girl was a fallen angel. Meaning that A. she was bad, or B. she was a pervert, and he didn't particularly like either option but he knew that if he didn't stop her, she would most likely continue her rampage in this town. All he needed to do was accept her proposal, go on a date, capture her, and interrogate her on the whereabouts and intentions of her flight.

"Sure," Issei said to her.

"R-Really?" she wanted to make sure.

"Yeah, how's Sunday sound since I'm busy Saturday and I'll be busy all week finishing my move-in," Issei said to her.

"Y-Yes! Sunday works just fine for me. Meet me at the center at 11 o'clock," she said before she walked off.

Issei sighed and walked over to his group. He never noticed a tear slip down Yuuma's cheek.

_I'm sorry Issei. But I have to do this to keep her safe,_ she thought as she sent one last glance back at the boy's retreating form.

Issei made his way over to Gisela and his new friends and began to walk home.

"So what's Europe like?" Motohama asked.

Issei stiffened, not really knowing how to answer such a question. "It's cold…" he said.

"Yeah, and lots of wolves," Gisela added. "And bats."

"Have you been to the Eiffel Tower?" Murayama asked her.

"No, we mostly stayed in our home town of Thraben. The only attraction there was a massive silvery rock that locals said fell from the Moon. They called it the Helvault because people thought demons were sealed in there by an angel," Gisela said.

"Wow, that's interesting. I've always liked reading up in myth. What other stories did you guys have?" Matsuda said. He was genuinely curious.

Issei began to think of one to tell them. "Well, there's this belief that after death, there's this thing called the Blessed Sleep and that if you disturb a dead body, they won't be able to go there and come back as a ghost or ghoul. That's why graverobbing is extremely looked down upon and can get you evicted from the town," Issei said.

The four Kuoh Students went silent at Issei's words.

Gisela decided to break the tension by continuing to speak. "In our town, we hold a belief in four angels and their forces. I'm named after one of them. The first is Sigarda. She symbolizes Purity and Life. Sigarda is said to be associated with the New Moon season which is Spring. All children born under her sign are considered lucky and live long fruitful lives.

"Next is Bruna. She symbolizes Death and the Blessed Sleep. Bruna is closely associated with the Hunter's Moon season which for you is Winter. Bruna protects the desecration of corpses."

"What's next?" Katase asked. The tale had engrossed her and her friends entirely. The tale of the four angel sisters had always been Issei's favorite and it seemed that it was quickly becoming his new friends' favorite folktale as well.

"Well, it's the Angel I'm named after. Gisela. Gisela symbolizes the Sun, providing light for all life. She is associated with the Harvest Moon, which is Autumn. Angels that followed her are said to be the ones who taught humanity to defend themselves against the forces of evil. At the height of the Harvest Moon is the Feast of Goldnight, which is the holiest day back in our town.

"And the last is Avacyn. Avacyn is said to be the embodiment of the Moon. She is the protector of the world, constantly battling the forces of Darkness with her silver spear that was said to be crafted from the very moon itself. Her collar became a symbol of faith for people back then. She is, for all intents and purposes, God, back where we came from. At least, in the stories," Gisela said.

They all looked up and saw that they had arrived at the Hyoudou House without realizing it.

"Shoot! My parents will kill me if I get home late!" Matsuda said, looking at his watch. "I gotta go! See you guys tomorrow!" With that, Matsuda ran off in the other direction.

"I have to go to," Motohama and Katase said.

"See you tomorrow, Issei," they said waving.

"What about you, Murayama?" Issei said. The girl smiled at him.

"We're neighbors so I live a few houses down from you. But you're right, it is getting late. You have a phone?" she asked.

"No, I haven't had the time to buy one," Issei said, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head.

"It's alright, we'll all go out on Saturday and help you two finish getting whatever you need. I gotta go. See ya," she said, running off to her house.

"They're nice people," he said.

"Yeah," Gisela said as she watched the girl enter a house about three houses down.

"Oh, by the way, I need to tell you something," Issei said as they walked up to the front door.

"What is it?" she asked.

"I have a date on Sunday with a Fallen Angel."

* * *

**I hope you guys liked this chapter. Issei and Gisela started school. Yes, Issei can cast a super simple blue spell. He did spend a few weeks with Izzet League after all so he was bound to pick something up. Another thing, I forgot to mention, people's color alignment can shift over time. A good example of this is Ajani Goldmane. He is core White but during the events of Shards of Alara, Conflux, and Alara Reborn, he was White-Red due to his need for vengeance and his rage against Nicol Bolas for the death of his brother. Over time, he drifted from White-Red to White-Green around the Theros Arc onward. Another is Sarkhan Vol. He used to be Red-Black. Now, he's Red-Green-Blue. I forgot why his alignment shifted so drastically but I think it had something to do with Ugin and a time rift. So, I'm going to be changing certain aspects of canon DxD. I rather like the idea of having Raynare be a "good guy". I think I'll have Issei be able to summon her like he does other angels whenever he's on another plane. Anyway, that's all. Remember, if you liked this chapter, review/fav/follow. Have a great day or not, the choice is yours!~**


	3. Entreat the Angels

**Hello, this is the third chapter of Beyond the Gap. So, I researched a bit over the past few days to find out more information as to how powerful the Angels of Innistrad are so I can compare them to DxD Angels. We know DxD Angels are pretty strong with Michael being able to fight on the level of the Satans and all but how strong are the Angels of Innistrad and more importantly, what can they even do? So quick history lesson, the Angels of Innistrad were born during the "dawn times" of the plane meaning that they were born at the beginning from the plane's white mana leylines. Wizards of the Coast planned to release a novel which would give us more info on Innistrad's angels but the novel got canceled right before Avacyn Restored was released so I'm left trying to pick up the pieces of this so I'll just give them powers. (Non-Canon because they didn't give us enough info and any info they would have released, they canceled) Like the demons of Innistrad, Angels, when killed, are dispelled and return to the "Dawn Essence (White Mana)" of the plane and reform after time. That means that only someone as powerful as a Chain Veil Amped Liliana can truly kill an Angel. However, there will be a slight difference between the Angel Sisters and the regular angels. Sigarda, Bruna, and Gisela are all manifestations of the White Mana Leyline of the Plane. Kind of like the Gods of Amonkhet. They created their flights from the White Mana that was circulating the plane via its leylines. If anyone has more info on the angels, then feel free to come forward. Also, who would win in a fight, Gabriel (DxD) or Avacyn?  
**

**I do not own Highschool DxD or Magic the Gathering. They are owned by Ichiei Ishibumi and Wizards of the Coast. Please support this official release.**

* * *

**[Ddraig talking]**

_**[Ddraig thinking]**_

_Mental Communication_

"Regular Dialogue"

**Attacks/Spells**

* * *

**Kuoh Town, September 9, 2019, 8:45 PM**

* * *

Raynare walked dejectedly into the church. Her shoulders sagged as the guilt was weighing her down. The mere thought of killing an innocent person made her want to retch, but she had to do this. She had to protect her. Protect her from her fellow fallen. The sick bastards.

"Oh, Raynare, you're back," she turned her head and saw a woman with navy blue hair and wearing a red trenchcoat-like top that was open at her chest, allowing for a wide view of her breasts. She wore a red miniskirt that showed off her curves.

"What do you want Kalawarner?" she growled.

"WWhoa Calm down Princess," she said, raising her hands. Kalawarner had to be careful. Although she and two other fallen had practically blackmailed the daughter of the Governor-General and the most powerful female Fallen, she needed to be wary. Raynare was as strong as those two devils that watched over the town and could kill her at any time, not that she would do it. They did have a pretty tight leash over her neck in the form of one of her friends.

"Did you do it?" a man wearing a grey trench coat and fedora walked into the room.

"Yeah, I hooked him. Now, all I need to do is hold up my end of the deal and you'll let her go right?" Raynare turned her baleful violet eyes to the man.

"First, you have to kill the Sacred Gear user in this town so he won't be a problem to us in the future when we take out the Heiresses," he said.

"I think she gets it Dohnaseek," Kalawarner said.

Raynare growled at the two of them before storming off to another part of the church. As she left, a blonde Fallen Angel with pigtails dressed in a gothic lolita maid outfit landed next to Kalawarner and Dohnaseek. She had been watching the entire interaction from the ceiling of the church.

"You really shouldn't do that," she said to the two.

"Oh, and what can she do about it? Her friend is arriving here in a few days so she has to do what we say or we sic Freed on her little friend. And God knows how crazy that bastard is," Dohnaseek said.

"Yeah, Mittelt, we have absolutely nothing to worry about," Kalawarner reassured her friend.

"Yeah…," Mittelt's mind flew back to that night. She had been flying over Kuoh and scouting out the area when she felt it. The angel hovered over an abandoned warehouse and watched as a young man summoned an angel. Only it wasn't an angel she was familiar with. She remembered the cold sweat she felt when that angel spread her wings. That angel was overwhelmingly powerful. She held more power in a single fingernail than every being in this town combined. The angel probably held more power than Azazel or possibly even the Satans. The only being she could compare her to was her creator, the God of the Bible.

"Hey, Mittelt, you alright?" Kalawarner asked her.

"Yeah, just tired," she said, walking off to another part of the church.

* * *

**Kuoh Town, September 15, 2019, 10:55 AM**

* * *

Issei stood at the center patiently waiting for his date to arrive. He had known where it was thankfully due to exploring the town when he had arrived here. As he sat, his mind flew back to Gisela's reaction earlier that week when he said he was going on a date with a _Fallen_ Angel which in Gisela's mind equated to: "_Hey, I'm taking a demon and marrying her and having children. Hope you're cool with that."_ Needless to say, she freaked out and told him that he wasn't going and kept insisting until he explained his reasons for accepting. She grudgingly accepted his reasoning and told him to be careful.

When his friends found out that he had been asked out, their reactions varied from suspicion to outright, comical jealousy. Murayama and Katase had been very suspicious about who asked him out and why. Perhaps this person was linked to the murderers of Issei's parents and wanted to get Issei since they failed to do so nine years ago.

Motohama and Matsuda reacted as he predicted and how his female friends expected them to react. They fell to their knees, surrounded by an aura of depression which was quickly followed by rage and jealousy. They interrogated Issei on how he got her to ask him out and what she looked like. He described her as to how he saw her. A pretty woman with long raven black hair and sparkling amethyst eyes.

Issei turned around when he felt someone tap him on the shoulder. It was a woman with brown hair wearing a bat-themed red dress. She held out a flyer from the stack she was holding. Issei quirked his eyebrow and took the flyer.

_Make your wishes come true? Weird,_ Issei thought as he read the flyer. He went to give the flyer back only to see that the woman had disappeared.

Issei turned his head when he sensed Yuuma heading towards him. She was currently wearing a short black dress with a light purple jacket on top. Issei could honestly say that the woman before him looked breathtaking. Did he consider her girlfriend material? No. She just wasn't his type. However, Issei did notice that she was hiding something. Beneath those joyous violet orbs was great guilt and sadness along with steaming hatred which he guessed was directed at someone else.

"Issei-kun!" she said, waving at him. "Did you wait for me long?"

Issei shook his head and smiled at her. "No, I just got here."

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!" Yuuma grabbed his hand and began to drag him away.

Raynare stole glances from Issei as she watched him take in his surroundings. His hazel eyes were filled to the brim with nostalgia and remembrance. She knew who he was. They had scouted out the town before setting up shop and researched the town's history. Issei had been kidnapped after his parents were murdered and made a miraculous comeback after nine years.

She looked down at their hands. Her hand was small compared to his and Raynare felt comforted. Not in a romantic way. In a friendly sort of way. She felt as if she could depend on him. Trust him. That he would always have her back. She tried to squash these feelings so that it would make killing him later that day much easier.

"Hey!" Raynare's head snapped up to look at him. He had a concerned look on his face.

"You want to go get lunch?" Issei asked her.

"Yeah. Food sounds nice right now," she said.

The two walked hand in hand into an ice cream store. The two stood in the back as they perused the menu, looking for something that looked appetizing.

"Mint Chip sounds nice," Issei said as he thought of what he would order.

"Hmm, I think I'll get a banana split or maybe a strawberry parfait," she said, holding her chin in thought.

"Okay, I'll get a mint chip and you'll get a…?" Issei asked her.

"A parfait. A strawberry one please," she said.

Issei walked up to the counter and ordered their food. He walked back and saw Yuuma sitting at a booth, waving at him. Issei strode over to the table and sat down on the other side.

"So Yuuma, why me?" he asked.

Raynare looked taken aback at his question. She never expected this question from him. Issei was different from the other boys his age. If she asked any teenage boy, they would stare at her chest and ass the entire time so hearing that question from him surprised her.

"Because you felt different from everyone else. I liked you the minute I saw you," she said, lying through her teeth.

Issei internally scoffed at the terrible lie. If she was depending on her looks to keep him from asking any questions, then she had another thing coming for her.

"Oh, really… It just seems strange that you would ask someone you've never met before," Issei said, lifting his arms as one of the waiters brought them their orders.

"Okay, I'll tell why I really asked… my friends dared me to ask out the next person to walk out the doors of the school. You were the next person to walk out so…," she said, fidgeting to make her lie more convincing.

Issei looked at her weirdly before sighing and began to eat his ice cream. "Thanks for telling me the truth," he said, smiling at her. He had to admit, the mint chip tasted heavenly. It was as if Serra herself came down and blessed his food to taste like how her realm was described. Divine.

"So, can we just hang out then? I'll just lie to my friends and said that we went on a date," Raynare said, trying to salvage the situation.

"Sure!" Issei said.

The two finished their ice cream, making idle small talk about their lives. From what Issei could discern, she was the daughter of a mayor from another town and that she and her friends moved here to Kuoh for school. However, Issei began to piece things together based on the half-truths he was given.

According to Issei's guess, Yuuma, if that was even her real name, was a high ranking Fallen Angel and she and her flight came here for reasons he had yet to uncover. He guessed that they most likely wanted to take this town over and control it from the shadows.

"Issei?" Issei looked up at her, brought out of his reverie.

"I'm done," she said.

Issei looked down at her bowl and saw that she finished her serving of ice cream.

"You want to get the bill now?" he asked.

"That would be wonderful," she said.

The two left the ice cream shop, talking animatedly about more mundane things about each other's lives. Raynare learned that Issei had lived with his cousin, who originated from a small town in Ireland called Thraben. His cousin was the second youngest of four sisters. The reason that her younger sister had a job, despite being a year younger, already had a career in law enforcement was because she was a prodigy, who skipped a few grades upon reaching high school and university. The two had moved here to complete their education and learn more about Issei's Japanese heritage.

Raynare saw Issei's face go through several emotions the minute he began to mention his sister. At least, Issei stated that he looked up to her as one. Her name was Elspeth Tirel. According to Issei, she grew up in an abusive household and then ran away. She had been picked up by a nice couple and enrolled her in school. Elspeth eventually rose to the top of her class, graduating from high school, university, and the police academy at the top. Unfortunately, Elspeth had been killed in a firefight between the police and a local drug addict, who was convicted of murder, assault, and destruction of property. The druggie was killed by Elspeth but not before she was shot by him.

Raynare tentatively placed a hand on Issei's shoulder when he had reached that portion of the story. He had begun to shake as he recounted the events. Issei immediately calmed down upon feeling her touch.

"It's okay, Issei. She would be proud that you're here now, facing your past," Raynare told him.

Issei allowed his lips to curl slightly. "Yeah, I think she would," Issei said, looking at the sky.

An awkward silence passed between the two as they continued to walk. Seeing the mall, Raynare had an idea.

"Issei. Let's go to the mall," Raynare grabbed his arm and began to drag him to the shopping center.

"He-Hey Yuuma!" Issei said as he was unceremoniously dragged to the mall.

Issei groaned as he was dragged into Nordstrom. Raynare grabbed several clothes for him and dragged him to the fitting room to try it on.

"C' mon, this one has cats on it!" she said, holding up a shirt. "Try it!~"

Issei grabbed the shirt and put it on.

"It looks great on you!" she said, clapping her hands together. "Now try this one!"

In the end, they both walked out of the store, having bought absolutely nothing. Issei looked like death. He looked as if he had gone toe to toe with a Craterhoof Behemoth five hundred times only to get trampled.

Raynare looked at Issei and began to giggle into her hands. She could honestly say that Issei was now her friend. Would he accept her for what she was? Should she even tell him later instead of killing him like she was told? If she did, Issei would be dragged into their world. He would be incapable of living a normal human life. She sighed as Raynare saw the sun begin to hang low in the sky. The two made their way to the park and saw the fountain within sight.

She would have to do it. Raynare steeled herself. She would need to kill him. To keep _her _safe from their sick, twisted claws. But could she live with it? Killing a friend to save another.

"Hey, Yuuma. I have to admit. I was kinda miffed that you used me to fulfill a dare but to be honest, I had fun with you. Maybe we could do this again some other time," Issei said, looking at the amber sky.

"Yeah…" Raynare said with her head hung low. The two decided to stop by the fountain to take a short break before heading home.

Issei and Raynare sat in uncomfortable and suffocating silence. Raynare began to contemplate even more on whether or not she should do this.

_I should tell him. We're friends! He'll accept me no matter what. Right?_ she thought as she stole glances at Issei.

"H-hey, Issei-kun…"

"Yeah."

"C-can I ask y-you something?"

"Sure."

"What if I told you that the supernatural was real?"

Issei quirked his eyebrow at her question.

**[What happened?]** he heard Ddraig said tiredly from inside his head.

"_Look at who finally woke up. Have a nice beauty sleep princess? You slept like Ajani,"_ Issei said.

**[Screw you. What are you two doing?]** Ddraig asked, looking at the nervous girl in front of them.

"_She just asked me if I believe in the supernatural. From what I got, everyone in this world seems to think that they're just the stuff of fantasy,"_ Issei replied.

**[That was due to the humans separating themselves from the Gods following the Great War. Over time, their interest in the divine grew once more but when it came to worship, many of the world's religions died out. Several major ones remained but the others were pushed into obscurity until recently with the excavation of ruins and renewed interest in the gods, though it's more for study than worship.]** Ddraig said.

"_How do the gods here work anyway?"_

**[Like the ones you found on Theros. Powered by belief. So about the Fallen's question. Just feign ignorance.]** Ddraig told him.

"_Alright,"_ Issei said.

"Issei?" he was brought out of his mind when he saw Yuuma look at him, concerned. "What would you say?"

"What would I say if what?" he asked.

"If I told you the supernatural was real," she repeated.

"I'd say that you're full of crap," Issei said.

Yuuma bowed her head and a violet glow enveloped her entire form. Her clothes were shredded and Issei was given a full view of her bountiful breasts.

_I'm not going to complain about this. This… this is nice,_ Issei thought as he watched the scene unfold.

Yuuma grew taller and took a more mature appearance. Her clothing also changed dramatically, now consisting of black, strap-like objects around and under her breasts, a thong-like piece held around her hips by three thin straps, gloves that ran right up her arms with small lengths of chains hanging from them, shoulder guard-like objects on her shoulders with three large spikes sprouting from her right shoulder, and black thigh-high heel boots. From her back, two black feathered wings sprung forth and spread themselves, casting a shadow over the Issei.

"Wow…" Issei simply stated in awe. Her wings were like those of a massive raven.

"I-Issei… what would you say now that I showed you what I am?" Raynare said shyly. She never felt uncomfortable in her true form but for some reason, showing this to Issei made her self-conscious.

"Well, I would ask what your real name is first," he replied.

"Raynare. My name is Raynare. I am the daughter of the Governor-General of the Grigori, Azazel, and the Cadre and Strongest Female Fallen Angel, Penemue," Raynare states with a hint of pride in her voice.

"Raynare huh?" Issei said, looking down.

Raynare looked at him, awaiting his next words. She felt his gaze bore into her eyes. It was as if he stared into her very soul.

"Why were you sent after me?" Issei said, lowering himself into a stance.

"I.." she was at a loss for words. Should she tell him? She was already this far. She should just take that leap of faith.

"I was blackmailed. My fellow fallen angels went behind my father's back and blackmailed me into helping them. They noticed that you were a Sacred Gear user upon entering the town and decided to be rid of you so that you wouldn't cause them any problems in the future," she confessed.

"So they sent you? What leverage could they possibly have against someone of high standing such as yourself?" Issei asked.

"My friend. They made arrangements for her to be sent here. They're using her as a hostage to make me comply. If I don't follow what they say, they'll kill her or worse…" Raynare began to trail off.

"I see," Issei said. "Why are you telling me this?"

Raynare clenched her fists as tears began to fall down her face. She hugged him tightly and began to cry into his shirt.

"Please help me…" she whispered.

Issei looked down at her shaking form. He wrapped his arms around her and began to stroke her hair. Her words were sincere. Issei knew this. The emotions she displayed. They were nearly impossible to pull off.

"C' mon. Let's get back to my house," Issei said, pushing her away.

"Heh, taking a girl home on the first date? You sure move fast," Raynare chuckled with a watery smile.

"Haha. You might want to change. If you come home like that, my cousin might kill you after ripping your wings off," Issei said.

Raynare nodded, sure that she was joking, but changed back to her other form.

**Hyoudou House, 8:00 PM**

Gisela sat on the couch with her head leaning on her arm. She was currently watching a tv series about a bunch of people fighting over a chair made of metal.

"Really, dragons? That's a bit cliche," Gisela said, throwing popcorn into her mouth. She leaned back and looked at the ceiling. Issei had been gone for a while. She grabbed her phone and looked at the time.

_8:00 PM_

Yes, she had a phone. Over the week, Issei's new-old friends had helped them get the essentials for their house and themselves. They had gotten a TV, a computer, two laptops, bathroom supplies like soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and toilet paper, and a router for WiFi among other things.

Gisela found this world incredibly interesting. It was much more technologically advanced than her own world. She contemplated testing her phone to call Issei but stopped when she heard knocking on the front door.

She got up and walked over to the front door while downing a can of Fanta at the same time. Gisela felt Issei's mana signature alongside another foreign one. She summoned one of her blades to her hand and slowly opened the door to reveal Issei and his date.

Gisela's azure eyes bore holes through the girl's skull. Said girl was currently shaking underneath the force of her stare.

Raynare was literally shaking. This woman in front of her was extremely terrifying. Her eyes held no warmth in them and promised the worst possible death should she even step a nanometer out of line. Her gaze drifted down to the woman's right hand. A sword. She was holding a sword.

"Gisela, you're scaring our guest," she heard Issei say. Gisela's face softened as she moved out of the way.

"Well, let's go in," Issei said to her.

Raynare sat down on the couch, clutching her dress nervously as the red-haired woman sat across from her in another chair. What terrified Raynare was the amount of power that rolled off the woman in waves. Raynare looked up at her briefly and saw that her eyes were glowing blue. Issei had gone into the kitchen to get some snacks for all of them so she was stuck here with her.

"So, _Fallen_," Gisela spat the word as if it was poison. "What do you want with Issei? He has enough on his plate as it is. He doesn't need this world's beings meddling in his affairs," she said.

A poof appeared on Gisela's lap. A small red, western dragon flew from her lap and hovered next to her.

"Give her a break, Gisela. She's been through a lot. She's the daughter of a high ranking being here and she's been blackmailed by traitors to her clan," the dragon said to her.

"Is that so, Ddraig?" she said, not looking at the dragon but instead, chose to keep her eyes solely on Raynare.

Raynare cringed underneath the intensity of her stare.

"Gisela, stop scaring her," Issei said, walking into the room carrying a tray of snacks. Oreos mainly.

"Why'd you bring her here?" Gisela asked him.

"Because she needs our help and our protection," Issei said, grabbing an Oreo and sitting next to Raynare.

"Why can't she go to her own clan?" Gisela asked.

"They'll trace me," Raynare spoke up, causing the two to look at her. "They'll trace me and then there won't be anything stopping them from hurting my friend."

Gisela looked at her strangely before sighing. "Give me one good reason as to why I should help you," she said, crossing her arms.

Raynare gulped. "Because, on the way over here, Issei told me that you're not one to standby while innocent people are hurt. Please. I beg you. My friend! She has nothing to do with this and she's going to get hurt because of her association with me! You can do whatever you want with me afterward. Kill me. Enslave me. I don't care," she said, prostrating herself in front of Gisela.

The woman looked at her with blank eyes and finally sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Alright. We'll help," she conceded.

"Thank you! Thank you so m-"

"But… I won't allow you to drag us down. Right now, you're dead weight compared to me and Issei," she said.

"H-huh!? I'm plenty strong!" Raynare said, pouting at her words.

"Really? How strong are you compared to something like this?" Gisela spread her massive white wings and a golden aura surrounded her. Raynare was immediately pressed down to the floor barely remaining conscious as the pressure disappeared as quickly as it appeared.

Raynare shakily looked up at the woman. "Y-you're an Angel!" she said, her voice quaking in fear.

"Correction. I'm an Archangel. My name is Gisela. Pleased to meet you," she said, helping the girl up.

"I thought that the only Archangels were Michael-sama, Gabriel-sama, Raphael-sama, and Uriel-sama," Raynare said.

"Here's the thing," Issei said. "Gisela isn't exactly from here."

"W-what? Where could she possibly be from?" Raynare asked. "An angel that powerful can't just hide anywhere on Earth. Every faction would be on the lookout for her."

"Who said she was from Earth?" Issei said.

"So what? You're saying she's an alien or something? What's next? That red dragon over there is the Red Dragon Emperor?"

No response.

Raynare's eyes slowly drifted over the red dragon that was hovering over Gisela's head. Her eyes rolled back as she fell onto the floor.

"..."

"HAHAHA! She fainted!" Ddraig laughed. Gisela shook her head at the dragon's antics as she picked the girl up and laid her down on the couch.

"Should we wake her up?" Gisela asked.

"Yeah, give her a few minutes. She should be up soon," Issei said, nibbling on his oreo.

Raynare's eyes slowly fluttered open and found herself staring at an unfamiliar ceiling. Her eyes widened as she immediately leapt to her feet and summoned a light spear. She saw Issei eating a cookie with the _frickin Red Dragon Emperor_ curled up on his lap like a cat. Gisela was sitting on one of the chairs, watching a show.

"Is that it!? What kind of ending is this!? I didn't binge eight seasons of this just to see this Avacyn-damned ending! There are so many plot holes that need to be adresse- Oh, you're finally up," Gisela stopped her rant and turned her head, sensing that Raynare had woken up. Her gaze drifted to the light spear in her hands.

"Put that away. We're trying to have a civilized talk about what to do with you," she said. Raynare nodded and dispelled the spear.

"So, you're from another planet?" Raynare asked them.

"Nope, I'm from here. She's from another dimension," Issei clarified. "Oreo?" he asked, offering her the plate. Raynare graciously accepted the plate and grabbed three Oreos.

She looked down at the dragon sleeping peacefully on Issei's lap. "And that's the Welsh Dragon?" she asked hesitantly.

"Yup," Issei said.

"Another dimension? How is that even possible!?" she said, raising her voice.

Gisela decided to step in.

"He's what is known as a planeswalker. A being that can travel to other planes of existence or universes. Planeswalkers can be anyone but the chance of being one is one in a million. The spark boosts your magical power though from what Avacyn told me, " Gisela said.

Raynare tried to process the information she was just given. Her new friend was a dimension hopper and this generation's Red Dragon Emperor. She silently prayed to her Grandfather and asked Him to forgive any sins she had committed and that she would always listen to her parents because she was not prepared to handle this.

"So you knew the entire time?" Raynare turned her gaze to Issei.

"Yeah. You feel different from a human. That and Ddraig told me what you are," he replied.

"Then why?"

"Did I go along with you?"

Raynare nodded.

"I needed information. I thought that you had something sinister planned for this town but from what you told me, you're an unwilling pawn in the schemes of others so we'll help you but you can't drag us down," Issei said firmly.

"So what will I do? Sit on the sidelines doing nothing? Asia is my friend! I can't just stand by!" Raynare snapped.

"We never said that. We'll train you in combat and magic. Help you get stronger. You want more wings right? I was told that the power of the angels in this world depended on the number of wings that they have," Gisela said.

Raynare nodded mutely.

"Good. We'll start your training tomorrow after Gisela and I get back from school. Feel free to sleep in the spare room," Issei said.

"But what abo-"

"Don't worry about them. I'll put up barriers and wards. You'll be safe here," Issei assured her. Raynare nodded.

"So, any stories to tell about the other worlds?" she asked.

"Hmmm, I have one! Let me tell you about that one time I was on Innistrad…"

* * *

**Kuoh Academy, 8:30 AM**

* * *

Issei walked down the hallway to his classroom of 2-B. Sighing at last night's events, Issei turned the doorknob and opened to door. He was met with what was the strangest sight in his entire life.

Everyone was either depressed or crying. His friends were sobbing into their desks while the teacher looked down at the floor in sadness.

"Look. We have to move on and be glad that we all got to know someone as kind as Issei," the teacher finally said, wiping some tears that had formed.

"Umm, sensei?" Issei finally said.

The whole class froze at the voice but the reaction Issei found most intriguing was Kiba's. He looked as if he didn't expect him to come to school.

"Umm wh-" Issei didn't even finish his sentence when he was suddenly hugged by four people.

"Guys?" Issei was honestly confused.

"We thought you were dead!" Murayama said, sobbing into his shirt. The others merely nodded while Motohama and Matsuda tightened their grip around him.

"Well, I *urk* will be if you keep squeezing!" Issei gasped as he tried to breathe.

The four finally noticed that Issei was turning blue and let go. After feeling them let go, Issei took in obscene amounts of air into his lungs. "Air! Where have you been all my life?" he said.

Issei looked up at them. "Why did you think I was dead?" he asked.

"Umm, Rias came into our class before you got here and told us that you died last night," Katase said.

"What? Who's Rias?" Issei asked.

"Rias is one of the Four Great Ladies. She's basically an idol. She said that she spotted you lying in a pool of your own blood at the park the other night," Katase told him.

"Really? She must have been mistaken then," Issei said.

"Thank God for that," Matsuda said to him.

Issei walked over to his seat and sat down. The teacher began to talk but he didn't pay attention. His mind began to wonder, why did this Rias person tell everyone that he was dead? Was she trying to play some sort of joke on him as some form of hazing? The entire time during class, he also felt Kiba glancing at him from time to time. One time, Issei caught him and waved. The boy looked surprised, to say the least and weakly waved back.

Lunch came around as usual. Issei and his friends all ate their meals while making small talk. Murayama and Katase asked Issei how his date went.

"Well, she was apparently forced to go on a date with me. Her friends dared her to ask out the next person that walked out the door and I walked out. We cleared everything up and just hung out for the rest of the day," he said. Raynare was currently at home watching TV the last time he checked. She was loafing on their sofa watching the entirety of Gray's Anatomy.

"Issei," a voice called out. The group looked up from their meals and saw Kiba standing there with a smile on his face. "I'm glad you're alright."

"Oh, thank you," Issei said, smiling at him.

Kiba kept standing there, smiling at Issei. The boy was growing increasingly uncomfortable as he felt Kiba smiling at him. Murayama noticed Issei's discomfort and gave Kiba a cross look.

"Can you stop? You're making him uncomfortable," she said, her face morphing into a slight scowl.

Kiba blinked at her statement and nodded before returning to his seat.

"So, have you been to visit Gorou-oji and Miki-oba yet?" Matsuda asked him.

"No, I was planning to after school," he said, swallowing his sandwich.

"We'll go with you," Murayama said, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Thanks, guys," Issei said.

* * *

**Kuoh Academy, 3:30 PM**

* * *

"Don't you have Kendo Club?" Matsuda asked.

"No, we decided not to go today so we could go with Issei and make sure you two don't turn him into an incorrigible pervert," Katase replied as they made their way to the cemetery.

"So, Issei, what's Gisela doing?" Motohama asked.

"Oh, she went home to do some things. We put out an ad over the weekend for a roommate and someone answered it. Gisela said I could go visit Tou-san and Kaa-san while she showed our new roomie the ropes," Issei said.

"A new roommate?" Matsuda asked him.

"Yeah, a girl," he said.

The two perverts fell into a depression at how easily Issei was able to get women to his side.

"You're on your way to becoming Harem King, Issei," Matsuda told him, earning looks of disgust from Murayama and Katase.

"I don't really want a harem. I'm more of a one-woman kind of guy," Issei said.

Issei's words took Murayama and Katase by surprise. They were so sure that he would agree with them considering that most of the males in the school had a shared dream.

"El always told me that you should find that one woman who brings the best out in me and stick by me no matter what. A woman that can accomplish that is the woman that'll complete me," Issei said.

Murayama and Katase cooed at Issei's words. They were so romantic.

"Are you sure you don't have a girlfriend?" Murayama asked, nudging his side.

"Nope," Issei said.

After a few more minutes of walking and idle chatter, the group arrived at the cemetery where Issei's parents were buried. The five walked in and headed to a small hill where at the top stood a sakura tree. Two headstones were waiting for them there.

_Gorou Hyoudou_

_1969-2011_

_A loving son, brother, husband, and most of all father_

_Miki Hyoudou_

_1969-2011_

_A loving daughter, wife, friend, and most of all mother_

Issei's mind flew back to that night upon seeing his parents' headstones.

"_Who are you!?" his father yelled as strangely dressed people broke into their house. They wore dark hooded robes. The leader turned his head to his father and raised his hand. A strange runic circle formed and suddenly, there was a large hole in his father's chest. Issei and Miki watched as Gorou hit the ground whispering one last word._

"_Run…"_

_Miki grabbed Issei and ran out of the house, screaming for help. Suddenly, her leg was shot through and she fell to the ground dropping Issei. Issei looked up and saw the group land between him and his mother, separating them._

_One of the people licked their lips, staring at Miki._

"_Can we have some fun with her boss?" he asked._

"_No, we don't have time for that. Just kill her and be done with it," he said._

"_ISSEI! RU-" she didn't finish her sentence as a sword was driven through her skull. The person who held the blade pulled with such force that his blade ripped the skull along with the entire spinal column out and held his mother's brutalized head up like a prize. Her horrified expression stared back at Issei as the man waved her head around causing her spinal cord the wave._

_Something inside Issei snapped. A surge of power flowed through him as he screamed in misery and pain. A wave of golden light and fire erupted from Issei._

"_What is this!?" the leader said as he felt the light burn him. _

_With one last pulse of energy, Issei vanished from the spot in an explosion of pure power that ripped apart the street, setting the entire block ablaze. The people who were caught in the immediate vicinity were vaporized instantly. The only indication of their being people on the street was a small crater as large as the road was wide and the decapitated body of Miki Hyoudou, whose body was left miraculously untouched while the houses around her burned._

Murayama walked over to Issei and pulled out some flowers that she had bought before coming to school and handed it to him.

Issei let a few tears escape his eyes as he kneeled and put out the flowers on his parents' gravestones.

He knelt and sent out a quick prayer to whoever ran the Afterlife on this plane. Issei opened his eyes and ran his hand across the gravestones.

"Tou-san, Kaa-san, I'm home," he said as a few tears fell on to their graves. "I met lots of people while I was away. Some became family while the others became friends. There was one person I wanted you two to meet. Her name was Elspeth and I think you would have liked her. Anyway, I'm back now and I'm here to stay. I'm living in our old house again.

"I'm sorry I didn't come back sooner. I was running away from my past for so long. I promise I will find whoever sent those people that night and kill them with my bare hands. I promise I'll avenge your deaths," Issei said, getting up. He turned to his friends with a determined expression.

"Let's go, home guys," he said, The four nodded and followed him out of the graveyard. He never saw the transparent figures of a man and a woman standing behind the gravestones. The two flew over to Issei and hugged him, causing the boy to freeze midstep.

"Welcome home, Ise-chan," he heard voices whisper into his ears.

Issei smiled and one last tear escaped his eye before wiping his eyes and running to catch up with his friends.

* * *

**Old School Building, 3:45 PM**

* * *

Kiba walked with haste to the old school building.

"Kiba!" he turned and saw Koneko jogging to catch up with him.

"Why are you walking so fast?" she said in a monotone voice.

"He's alive," he said. Koneko's eyes grew wide at his statement.

"Impossible," she said.

"I know. Let's tell Rias-sama," he said as the two ran to the building.

Rias was calmly sifting through papers while Akeno stood next to her. She pushed up her glasses as she read another missive from her father stating her marriage with Riser Phenex. Rias gripped the paper in anger. She needed to find a way out of this marriage. Her thoughts were interrupted when Kiba and Koneko broke through the door.

"Kiba? Koneko? What's wrong?" she asked.

"He's alive!" Kiba said to her.

Rias looked at him with a confused expression.

"Who's alive?" she asked.

"Issei! He's still breathing. The Fallen didn't kill him!" Kiba said.

"What? How? He never summoned us," she said.

"Perhaps he escaped?" Akeno offered.

"It doesn't matter. He knows of the existence of the Supernatural. We'll have to go inform him at his house. On me, now," Rias said as she sensed for Issei's magical signature. She was immediately blasted back into the wall with burns on her person.

_What? What was that?_ she thought.

"Rias-sama, are you okay?" Akeno said, immediately applying a healing spell.

"I'm fine. We need to go to his house. Koneko, take us there," Rias said. The young girl nodded and formed a large teleportation circle.

* * *

**Hyoudou House, 4:15 PM**

* * *

Issei and the others arrived at his house and knocked on the door. The door opened revealing Raynare, who was wearing a violet hoodie and black shorts.

"Issei!" she said.

"Hey Yuuma," he waved. "We have guests."

"Wonderful! Please come in," she said.

The five walked inside but as Issei took a step into the house, every hair on his neck stood on end. He turned and saw Raynare, stiff as a board slowly gathering energy into her palm.

"They're here," he turned and saw Gisela.

"Who's here?" Murayama said.

"I need you four to stay back," Issei said. He held his hand out and Godsend materialized in it.

"What the-?"

"We'll answer any questions you may have later. Right now, I need you four to go inside," Issei said in a serious voice.

The four looked at him with defiance before conceding and heading inside.

A flash of red light appeared on Issei's lawn as Koneko, Kiba, and two other women he didn't recognize appeared.

"So it is true," the red-haired woman said.

"Who are you?" Issei said, leveling Godsend at her.

Kiba narrowed his eyes and summoned a sword to his hand while the raven-haired woman's hands crackled with electricity and Koneko dropped into a fighting stance.

Seeing this, Gisela summoned both of her blades while Raynare formed several light spears.

"Stand down," the woman said to the others.

"But Rias-sama-"

"I said stand down Akeno," Rias ordered, forcing the others to stand down.

Seeing this, Issei lowered Godsend.

"Who are you?" he said.

"Can we talk inside? I'd like this conversation to remain… private," she said.

Issei looked at Gisela, who merely shrugged.

**[Go with it]** Ddraig said.

"Fine, but if you try anything, I'll end you where you stand," he said as he lead them inside.

Murayama, Matsuda, Katase, and Motohama watched from the stairs as Issei lead who seemed to be the ORC inside the house. They immediately ran downstairs and saw them seated on the couches with Issei, Gisela, who they guessed was Yuuma standing across from them.

"Rias-senpai?" Murayama said.

Rias turned her head and saw Murayama.

"Don't. They stay," Issei said.

Rias turned her blue eyes back to Issei and sighed.

"Fine, but everything they hear must be kept a secret," Rias said to him.

"Alright," Issei said. "Now, tell me who and what you and your friends are."

Rias stood up and curtsied in front of him.

"My name is Rias Gremory. Heiress of House Gremory. I am a Devil and a member of the 72 Pillars," she said as batlike wings appeared on her back. "Let's talk."

* * *

**So I'm going to start replying to your reviews. Yay!**

**reven228: I'm loving the story thus far, however I am wondering about where exactly this story takes place. Issei apparently just finished the Theros storyline with Elspeth, but you mentioned Nicol Bolas this chapter. I'm wondering if A) This was one of the earlier times Nicol Bolas died before War of the Spark. B) You've moved up the Theros story so it took place after War of the Spark. Or C) Something else. Aside from that, love the story and I can't wait to see more. Keep goin and stay golden**

**Thank you for liking this story. You also pointed out one of the things I wanted to discuss. The timeline. So Theros takes place before War of the Spark meaning that Issei was there during the Alara Arc for Conflux and Alara Reborn. He was really young when his spark ignited and met Nicol Bolas.**

**ragnarshadow: You Will make story of dxd not harem? You are a visionary or crazy i dont know? Issei makes is base in dxd world ? He enter to gatewatch? And you will change the history of innistrad for emrakul?**

**I am crazy. As for the Shadows over Innistrad and Eldritch Moon arc, there will be a change but Emrakul will still corrupt Avacyn and Bruna but not Gisela since she's with Issei so no Brisela guys.**

**Guest: Keep up the good work. MTG rarely has any fanfics here on this site and the number of crossovers is few despite how easily for it to be made into a reality thanks to Planeswalkers. Mana-wise, Issei probably shouldn't have that much trouble tapping into mana if he has any artifacts like the Moxes or a Black Lotus; unless those things are as rare in-universe as they are in real life. Besides the big foes in DxD, Issei should be relatively safe as Ddraig has a physical body now and Issei can summon creatures/artifacts. Honestly not that surprised that Issei would have at one point been a part of the Izzet League seeing as how a dragon runs the damn guild.**

**So the artifacts Issei has on him at the moment that you guys know of is the Chromatic Lantern from Ravnica and Godsend which he got from Elspeth. As for the Black Lotus and Moxes, those will be as rare in-universe as they are in real life but not to the point where I have to slap a legendary mythic rare artifact tag on them like the Blackblade where in-universe, there are only stories and myths about it. Also, regarding Issei's level of power, he's pretty strong, not Sirzechs, Indra, Shiva level but strong enough to hold his own against the opponents someone like Rias and Sona would be squashed by. He was there when Xenagos ascended, Avacyn was freed, and when Bolas tried to siphon mana from Alara. He wasn't there for Elspeth's little war on Mirrodin (I'd be hardpressed to call that a war). Also, if you know any more info about the Angels of Innistrad and how strong they are compared to the others like the damn Serra Angels of Dominaria or the friggin Boros Angels (which are pretty powerful), please let me know as I said above. **

**Asmodai18: ****Great chapter, I'm a huge fan of MTG, that shit is my childhood. The idea of a Planeswalker should enable a heck of a lot more crossovers than it really does.**

**It really should though but most people out there only play the game and lack lore knowledge beyond the basic bio of planeswalkers that can be pieced together from their decks.**

**A Writing Birb: I like the premise of this story so far. While it does need some refining here and there, it has quite some potential in my opinion. What I especially like is the addition of mana since, in canon, magic has not that many limits if I recall correctly. It puts a cap on what magicians can do and prevent them from pulling reality breaking spells from thin-air at a minimal cost. Keep up the good work mate.**

**Thanks for that and also thanks for reading over my first chapter and finding any mistakes. **

* * *

**A lot of you agreed that Nicol Bolas would defeat Great Red in a fight which is, in my opinion, true. He invaded a plane, killed every being on it that was old enough to walk, then proceeded to defeat all of its Gods (which I might add are manifestations of the plane's leylines), and corrupted the entire plane, altering its very nature. At the height of Bolas's power, he was killed, had his soul destroyed, and came back so... yeah. Another thing is the Spark. I was contemplating giving the Planeswalkers their immortality back but then that would ruin the whole point of Liliana's character. Regarding Ophis, Great Red, and Trihexa, I plan on having them be like the Gods of Amonkhet where they were born from the leylines with Great Red being Blue Mana (heh), Ophis being Colorless, and Trihexa being Black Mana. Also, Issei will not be joining Sona or Rias. He's too powerful for them to reincarnate. I think that's it. Please, if anyone has anymore information regarding how strong the angels of Innistrad are please let me know. Remember, review/fav/follow.**

**Freek virtual cookie for whoever can guess what show Gisela was binging and raging over.**


	4. Friendships Forged Under The Moonlight

**Wow, 2,000+ views... I don't know what to say. Thanks, everyone! I never thought this story would receive such a reception. I'm glad you all enjoy the story so far. A couple of things, since Issei will not be a member of Rias's peerage. I have created an OC who will take his place. You might not like him now but I promise, he'll mellow out as the story progresses. Remember Draco from Harry Potter? He mellowed out by the time of Deathly Hallows... sort of. I don't know. Anyway, another thing is... well, I'll just let you all find out at the end of this chapter, won't I?**

**Highschool DxD and Magic the Gathering are still owned by Ichiei Ishibumi and Wizards of the Coast respectively. Please support this official release. **

_**One day, I'll own it all!**_

* * *

**[Ddraig talking]**

_**[Ddraig thinking]**_

_Mental Communication_

"Regular Dialogue"

**Attacks/Spells**

* * *

**Hyoudou House, September 10, 2019, 4:20 PM**

* * *

Rias looked at the three people in front of her with anticipation. Before her, stood two humans and a Fallen Angel, who she recognized as the Grigori Heiress. She looked to Akeno, who stood there with a smile but one could easily tell it was fake. There was a deep, underlying hatred written all over her face and it was all directed at the Fallen Angel.

"Alright, who are you three and what are you doing in my town?" Rias asked them.

"Your town?" Issei narrowed his eyes at her words.

"I am one of the supervising devils here. This is the territory of the Gremory and Sitri families," Rias informed him.

"Did you live here your entire life?" Issei asked her.

"Wha-? No, I recently moved here," she said.

"Then, how can it be your town?" Issei said as a golden white aura began to surround him.

The members of Rias's group noticed this and readied themselves for a fight. Rias looked on with increasing interest as she felt Issei's power rise and match her own. Her interest suddenly turned into awe and a slight fear when his power surpassed hers. The pressure was beginning to build as she felt herself being pinned to her spot under the force of his stare.

"Issei, calm down," Issei immediately reigned in his mana upon hearing Raynare's words.

"I'm sorry. I don't like it when people claim things as theirs when it clearly doesn't belong to them," Issei said to her.

Rias nodded.

"I'm sorry if I offended you in any way. What I mean by that is that this town is under our protection," she clarified.

"You're devils. Why would you go out of your way to protect humans?" Gisela said, narrowing her eyes at Rias's words. "Is this your way of damning as many souls as you possibly can?"

"Wha-"

"How dare you speak like that to her! Rias is one of the kindest people I've ever met!" Akeno said, standing up for her friend.

"Akeno…" Rias looked at her.

"Was I talking to you?" Gisela trained her sights on Akeno. Her eyes narrowed in disgust when she felt what she was. "I see. You've dirtied yourself by becoming one of them. At least Fallen Angels have the pride to remain as an Angel. You chose to cast aside your heritage."

Rias and her friends' eyes grew wide at her words. How could she possibly know that?

"Gisela!" Issei looked at her. Gisela's eyes met Issei and a silent conversation passed between the two. She sighed and backed down.

"I'm sorry about her. Being an Angel is everything to her," Issei apologized for his friend's actions.

"Angel? Wait, you're the angel that appeared in Kuoh a few days ago!" Rias said, pointing her finger at Gisela.

"Yeah, and?" Gisela said, looking at the devils with clear disinterest at their concern.

"We have a pact with Heaven that any movement within the other's territories must be known by whoever is occupying said territory! Why were we not informed by this!?" Rias demanded.

Gisela looked at her fingernails before answering Rias's question. "You assume I'm with Heaven," she said.

"What do you mean? You're not a Fallen from what my familiar reported," Rias told her, crossing her arms.

Gisela sighed before unfurling her massive eagle-like wings. They were large. Much larger than the wings of the Angels, both Pure and Fallen. The feathers shined an alabaster white as the light reflected. If one could squint, they would see tiny hints of red tint at the tips of her primary and secondary feathers.

"One pair?" Akeno said. "You're just cannon fodder."

Issei, Ddraig, and Raynare's eyes widened at Akeno's words. Issei immediately erected a **Sphere of Safety** around him, Ddraig, Raynare, and the four humans in the house, preparing for the impending doom that was Gisela's anger. More specifically, her anger at having her power insulted. As the youngest of the Angel Sisters (Avacyn didn't count), she was seen as the lesser of Bruna and Sigarda for centuries until she slew an entire horde of demons by herself. To this day, she feels that to insult her strength is to dismiss her efforts at becoming powerful.

Gisela's cobalt eyes began to glow and a golden wave of power erupted from Gisela, launching the devils off their feet and pinning them to the walls. The devils felt their entire bodies burning under the intensity of the angelic aura surrounding Gisela, along with an immense pressure that began to press upon them.

Gisela stood inches from Akeno's terrified face as she stared at the poor girl in the eyes. "Do not ever insult my efforts nor my power ever again. Are we clear, Half-Breed?" she said in a deadly calm voice.

"Gisela, let them go or I'll send you back to Innistrad!" Issei ordered. Gisela reluctantly powered down, causing the devils to gasp and take in obscene amounts of air. She turned to Issei and pouted. Ignoring her pout, Issei walked over to the devils and began to heal their burns.

"I'm sorry about her. She doesn't have a good history with devils or demons in general," Issei said, healing Rias's arm.

"No, no. I should be the one apologizing for my Queen's behavior. She isn't particularly fond of Angels, mostly Fallen," Rias replied to him with an embarrassed smile.

"Start over?" Issei said as he finished healing her.

"Start over," she confirmed. Rias inspected herself and saw no trace of a burn on her. "Wow, you're an extremely talented healer," she complimented.

"Thanks. My sister and her friend taught me just in case," Issei said as he went on to heal Akeno.

"Your sister has a good head on her shoulders. I'd love to meet her someday," Rias said as she went and sat down on the couch.

Issei's mood dropped which was evident as the temperature in the entire room dropped with it. "She passed away not too long ago, sadly," Issei said. His fists clenched in anger. One day, he'll go back to Theros and kill that bastard Sun God in the slowest, most painful way possible.

"Oh. Oh my… I'm sorry if I brought up any bad memories," she apologized.

"No, it's fine. She'd want me to move on," Issei said as he finished healing the last member of Rias's entourage.

"Okay, let's finish discussing what we came here for. We told you what we are. Now, tell us who you are," Rias said, not wasting any time in getting back to business.

"Right, so Gisela is an Angel. An Archangel to be precise," Issei said.

"Like Michael, Gabriel, Uriel, and Raphael?" Kiba asked him.

"Not exactly," Issei replied.

"Does it have to do with this Innistrad place you mentioned earlier? Because I don't recall anywhere on Earth or the other realms called Innistrad," Rias told them.

Issei cursed himself for letting it slip. He had only meant to tell a few people about what he actually was. Issei didn't want to stand on the roof of his house and scream at the top of his lungs: "I'M A PLANESWALKER! COME AND GET ME YOU FUCKERS!"

He had only one option left. An option only a mind that was on par with the greatest minds the Multiverse had to offer. Beings such as Ugin, Nicol Bolas, Jace Beleren, Niv Mizzet, and Kruphix.

_Should I lie?_ Issei said to Ddraig mentally.

**[Cats out of the bag. The girl would be able to tell if you're lying. Besides, your alignments don't really help you in the lying department]** Ddraig told him.

Issei groaned. If he was blue aligned, he could have easily wiped their memories. Issei thought about how he was going to word it while silently cursing Jace Beleren for having mental powers.

"_I could always say a half-truth like Innistrad is a secluded place in Europe surrounded by high power cloaking barriers,"_ he said.

**[Fifteen yen to my next meal says they can spot your lie]**, Ddraig said.

"_Challenge accepted,"_ Issei said as he looked at Rias.

"I'm a mage. We're from a town in Europe that's surrounded by several high power magical barriers that hide us from the rest of the supernatural but it still allows us to interact with the outside world," Issei said.

"Oh," Rias said, as she sat down on the couch next to the Kendo girls. Murayama and Katase looked at Rias with slight fear in their eyes. Noticing their stares, Rias turned to the two and smiled at them.

"I'm sorry if any of that scared you four. I know that finding out beings like us and magic exist must alter how you see the world," Rias said, looking at them apologetically.

Motohama nodded mutely alongside the other three.

Turning back to Issei, she resumed their previous conversation. "Well, it seems that I don't have to worry about you harming anyone in this town."

"Great, I do hope we can be friends. I'd rather we not be enemies," Issei told her.

"I do as well. Hmm, perhaps tonight, you and your companions can come along with me and my peerage. There's a stray devil in town and we were ordered to take it out," she offered.

Issei looked to Gisela and Raynare for their input. Raynare looked between him and the devils and then shrugged before nodding. Gisela looked at him before turning to the devils, her gaze settling on Akeno, who became unnerved by the woman.

"Fine, let's go on a hunt for this stray," Gisela sighed in surrender. She had been outvoted by Issei and Raynare. She couldn't count on that damn red excuse of a dragon because he would side with Issei in a heartbeat on most issues.

"Excellent. Meet us out at the park at seven," Rias said.

Issei nodded. Rias turned and looked at the clock in the living room. "Hmm, it's getting late. We'll see you in a few hours. I imagine you have a lot to explain to your friends here," she said. Rias stood and bowed to Issei. "Thank you for your hospitality even though we have rudely intruded upon your home. For that, I apologize and hope to work with you in the future."

"No, no, we jumped the gun when you arrived at our house," Issei said.

"Mhm, well then, I'll see you later. Akeno, Kiba, Koneko, we're leaving," Rias said, forming a magic circle. The three followed her and then left in a flash of crimson light.

Issei sighed and collapsed on his couch in between the Kendo Girls and the Perverted Duo. He put a hand over his face as he began to think back on everything that just happened. Even in this world, trouble always had a way of finding him.

"Issei…" he turned and saw Murayama staring at him, worried. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," he said, sitting up.

"Sooo…" Matsuda began.

"You can do fucking magic!?" Motohama said, appearing in front of Issei with stars in his eyes.

"Umm, yes, I can cast spells," he said.

"Is there a spell for looking at women from other places?" Motohama asked, getting Matsuda's attention.

"Yeah, is there?" he said.

"Ummm…" Issei said, looking at the two unsure of what was unfolding before him.

The two were suddenly holding their heads in pain as Katase stood above them with her fist held up.

"Sheesh, the first thing you two do after finding out magic is real is ask for a peeping spell?" Katase said, looking down at the two in disgust and disappointment.

"But, but," the two said at the same time.

"No, if Issei wants to teach magic, then he'll do it, but we won't force him to," Murayama said.

"Actually, now that you four know of the existence of supernatural beings, it might be a good idea to teach you a spell or two to defend yourselves," Issei said, getting up. "I have a few hours before I meet with the Occult Research Club so I guess I can show you a few spells that I might teach you. But first, I'm going to try and guess what colors you guys align with," Issei said, assessing each of them.

"Um, what are you doing?" Murayama asked, feeling uncomfortable from Issei's staring.

"Hmm, I see. Motohama, you're aligned with blue, Matsuda you're red, Katase is Green, and Murayama is White," Issei said. He pooled red mana into his hands and summoned several books.

"Umm, what does that mean?" Matsuda asked him.

"Right, so spells are fueled by an energy called Mana. Mana is the very life energy of the plane. It flows throughout it in leylines which are can be found at five locations. They are Plains, Islands, Forests, Mountains, and Swamps. Each area corresponds to a color of mana. Plains is connected to White Mana, Islands are connected to Blue Mana, Forests Green Mana, Mountains Red Mana, and Swamps Black.

Mana is also split into the five colors I just mentioned. Each one has a meaning and corresponds with the values and beliefs of a given person, not just their given personality and character traits. People aligned with White value Order, Peace, Law, and Selflessness and represents Light and sometimes, Life. White is all about the collective. Black aligned people value Selfishness, Power, and Uninhibition and represent Darkness and Death. Unlike White, Black is about one's self and their ambitions.

Red believes in Freedom, Passion, and Emotion and is often represented by Fire. Similarly to Black, Red takes the self into priority but rather than taking ambition into account, one's freedom and listening to your heart. Blue believes in Knowledge, Perfection, Caution, and often times, Deceit. Blue is all about knowledge and is represented by Ice or Water. Green believes in Spiritualism, Tradition, and being connected to Nature. It is most of the time represented by Flaura and Fauna. To put it simply, Green believes that the world is okay the way it is and does not need to be changed," Issei explained to them.

"So, all of us align with a color based on our core beliefs and principles?" Katase asked.

"Yes, and we'll find out what they are together."

The four watched in awe as Issei summoned books out of thin air by using a strange red energy.

"Whoa," Motohama said.

Issei walked over to the four and gave each one of them a book. The four took it and inspected the covers. It was written in Japanese. Issei had always written spellbooks in Japanese due to the fact that it could possibly be stolen. By writing it in his mother tongue, no one except for Issei would be able to understand the spells.

"Those are a book of simple spells of each color I have spent the past few years compiling. I can't cast most of the spells myself but I wrote them, just in case I ran into another person like me," Issei explained.

"You wrote this for other wizards?" Katase asked him.

"Not necessarily. Everyone is capable of using mana. Some people just use it in other ways like druids and some prefer not to use it at all, relying on their martial prowess," Issei said.

"Soo, not everyone becomes a wizard," Motohama said.

"No, despite the fact that all beings use mana," Issei said. "Those that do, undergo years of study to be able to shape the mana of the world around them in order to do things like what I just did. We should probably go somewhere else so I can show you," he said. The four nodded. Issei turned to Raynare.

"You want to come? We'll be teaching you this anyway," he said.

"Sure," Raynare said.

The group of seven walked out of the house and made their way to find a secluded area.

* * *

After half an hour of walking, they arrived in the woods outside of Kuoh. Walking into a clearing, Issei told the four to stand back.

"Here's what spellcasters can do given enough experience," Issei said, channeling red mana into his hands. He shot his hands into the air.

"**Fireball**," Issei called. A large sphere of flames shot forth from his palm and into the air. The ball of flames traveled before exploding, disturbing the evening sky in a thunderous explosion of bright orange light.

Everyone except Gisela and Ddraig looked on with amazement at Issei's power.

"So, I'll be able to do that?" Raynare asked.

"No, that spell is a Red Spell. You'll be able to cast White and Black spells," Issei said. "I'll leave most of your training to Gisela since she's an Angel."

"If you guys want, I can teach you all after school starting tomorrow. You'll need it after everything. Since in this world, beings with power apparently live in secrecy across the world, interacting with your governments and influencing your society from the shadows. Since you two go to school with members of possibly important devil families, you'll need to learn to defend yourselves from their enemies. Enemies that might possibly attack your school and this town in an attempt to get them," Issei explained.

The four nodded and agreed with his words. Issei turned to Raynare. "You should enroll in our school. It'll be much easier for me to keep you safe when you're close rather than have you stay at home," Issei said.

"We should form a club," Matsuda suggested. "That way we can all meet up without arousing any suspicion from our families."

"Good idea. See you can be as smart as I am if you just put your mind to it," Motohama teased.

Matsuda looked at him dryly before punching him hard on the shoulder.

"Right, Murayama and I will fill out a form and give it to Shitori-Kaichou. We'll meet with you four after school," Katase said

Issei noticed that it was almost seven on his watch. "We'll walk back to town and part ways there. We have to meet with Rias pretty soon," he said.

* * *

Issei, Gisela, and Raynare met up with Rias and her friends in the park, next to the fountain where Issei and Raynare went for their date.

"Oh, you two are here. Come, we've been ordered to hunt down a pair of twins," Rias said.

"What did they do that warranted even devils to hunt them down?" Gisela asked as they walked out into the bustling streets of nighttime Kuoh.

"The two killed their king and raped his sister before murdering her. The entire family called for their heads and tracked the two here to our territory. We received a call from my brother to take them out before they hurt anyone else," Rias explained.

"I see," Issei said.

Rias led them down to a large construction site in a part of town that was being developed to be an extension of the commercial area. The building was to be a brand new mall. People seemed to avoid this area at night due to the rumors of their being a killer that lurked the area. Issei just guessed it was the devils spreading rumors so that no one would be there when they took the two out.

The group entered the construction site and Issei scanned the area. Tools lay scattered across the various scaffolding the dotted the site. Large, metal beams stood proudly in the night sky, challenging the very heavens themselves. He heard Gisela whistle, clearly impressed that they were capable of achieving this purely with machinery. On Innistrad, most large structures were built with the assistance of magic. Issei made a mental note to take her to Ravnica and Kaladesh one day. Those two planes were perfect examples of magic and technology merging together in perfect harmony.

"They're here," Rias said as a cackle pierced the silent night sky. A dark-skinned man wearing a black tuxedo with a white and red shirt and a black bow tie landed in front of them. His hair was black with a white streak. On the left side of his, was a crack. His left eye was red with black sclera and his right eye was golden.

"Hohoho, what do we have here? A few foolish devils coming into our home," he said, grinning maniacally.

"You know who I am and why we're here? You have committed crimes against the Underworld and her peoples. What say you in your defense?" Rias said, staring at the man hard.

"Heh, I say that you're dead. But, I might as well have some fun doing it. I wonder if your blood tastes as good as that man's," he said, licking his lips.

Rias stood there, glaring before snapping her fingers.

"I think it's time to explain how Akeno and the others became devils. We use an object called Evil Pieces. They're based on the pieces used in the game, Chess. The pieces are King, Queen, Bishop, Rook, Knight, and Pawn. I am the King, and we'll have Koneko start things off," she said with Koneko leaping into action at her words.

The white-haired girl leaped into the air above the man and drove her fist into the ground. The ground ruptured where Koneko's fist impacted, creating a large crater with multiple fissures forming as a shockwave traveled to the ends of the site. The man was caught off guard by Koneko's sudden movement and was blown back by the wave.

"Okay, I'll bite. I'm guessing she's a Rook," Raynare said, impressed by the small girl's display of strength.

Rias nodded. She turned to Issei and Gisela, who were carefully watching the battle, and began to explain.

"Devils created using the Rook piece are granted superhuman strength and durability. As a result, they have high levels of physical offensive and defensive abilities, resulting in the herculean strength you see before you," she said. Issei nodded while Gisela just stared.

The man shakily stood up injured from the shockwave generated by Koneko's punch. "I'm going to fucking kill you for that you loli bitch!"

Rias nodded to Kiba, who acknowledged her, drew a sword, and took off in a burst of speed, faster than humans can perceive.

"The next piece is the Knight. Knights are blessed with superhuman speed, granting them high mobility and agility, as well as enhanced reflexes," Rias said.

Kiba reappeared behind the man and swung his blade, creating a large diagonal wound across the man's back causing blood to spray all over the place. The man howled in pain and quickly turned, swinging his fist at Kiba. Kiba easily dodged and the man's fist destroyed the entire scaffolding behind him.

"Stay fucking still!" he said his hands morphing into claws. He swiped them trying to cut Kiba into mincemeat but missed as Kiba easily weaved his way around his attacks.

A bolt of lightning streaked across the construction site and impacted the man in the side, sending him flying into a pile of concrete tubes.

Akeno stood next to Rias, Issei, Raynare, and Gisela with a blush of her face. Her fingers had sparks of electricity arcing between them. She began to giggle as she unleashed an onslaught of lightning bolts towards the man.

"Right… next is the Queen. The Queen possesses all the traits of Bishops, who possess large magical reserves and enhanced magical ability, Knights, and Rooks," Rias explained. The three non-devils looked over at a blushing, giggling Akeno, slightly disturbed,

Rias slapped her forehead at her Queen's actions and sighed. "She's also an Ultimate Sadist."

Issei shivered as he remembered his encounter with the Devil Planeswalker, Tibalt, while he was on Innistrad.

They looked back and saw the man lying on the ground, twitching and charred. "Fuck you!" he groaned.

"Fufufu, Rias-sama, can I play with him more?" Akeno said, breathing heavily with a blush on her face.

"No, Akeno, we have to finish this," she said to her Queen.

"I'm guessing you're the king?" Issei said.

"Yup," Rias said, forming a red and black ball of energy and chucking it at the man. The energy ball enveloped the man. The man screamed in pure agony as the energy ate away at his body, leaving no trace of it.

Kiba and Koneko walked over to them. Koneko walked up to Issei and held her hand out, looking at him expectantly.

Issei sighed and pulled out his bag of Dragon Tarts and gave it to Koneko. She immediately dug into them.

"So, that was it. I shall introduce myself and my peerage once more. I am Rias Gremory, Heiress of the Gremory Family, Inheritor of the Power of Destruction, and the Crimson Haired Ruin Princess and this is my peerage," Rias said, gesturing dramatically to her peerage.

"Wow," Gisela said, bored.

Issei and Raynare were impressed. Raynare was impressed by her power while Issei was impressed by the Evil Pieces. Perhaps he could retrieve it from the corpse and study it like a good associate of the Izzet League. Issei suddenly remembered something.

"So, what about the other one?" Issei asked.

"What do you mean?" Kiba replied.

"The other twin. You said they were twins," he said. The peerage's eyes widened as they began to scan the area.

A shadowy figure dropped down from the roof and dashed at inhuman speeds towards the unprotected back of Rias Gremory. His hand morphed into blades as he appeared and prepared to stab his hands through her skull.

Rias suddenly felt a gust of wind as a small wound appeared on her right cheek. She turned and saw Gisela sheathing her sword and the decapitated body of the other twin lying down on the ground. His blood flowed freely from the stump that was his neck and stained the asphalt a deep crimson color.

"Thanks…," Rias said shakily to Gisela.

_I didn't even see her move. Not even a twitch_, she thought.

"Think nothing of it. If we're going to be allies, we might as well have each others' backs," Gisela said.

"Thank you for saving her," Kiba bowed, followed by Koneko and eventually, Akeno.

Raynare looked at Gisela with stars in her eyes. With her being underneath Gisela's tutelage, she might be able to achieve such level of power one day and take the position of the most powerful Fallen Angel from her father and most powerful female Fallen Angel from her mother.

"Well, it seems that we have to go now. I don't want to keep you three up all night. You do have school tomorrow," Rias said, creating a teleportation circle for her peerage. Before she disappeared, she looked at Issei one last time and said, "Don't worry about Raynare. I've worked something out with Sona and she's cleared to come to school tomorrow."

With those words, the Gremory Peerage vanished from the area in a flash of crimson light.

* * *

**Kuoh Academy, September 11, 2019, 8:30 AM**

* * *

Raynare walked to school behind Issei and Gisela with a nervous look on her face. She had never been to a human school before. Everything she needed to learn education-wise was personally handled by her parents. Her father had vehemently stated to her that no one was going to ruin the purity of his precious little raven. And now here she was, going to school all because she was being blackmailed. If she had to be honest, the blackmail was the only bad thing about this situation. Everything else that had happened was a blessing. Life outside the Grigori was what she had often envisioned aside from taking the title from her old man.

Issei and Raynare parted ways with Gisela, who made her way over to her third-year classroom.

As they arrived outside Class 2-B, Issei put a hand on her shoulder and reassured her.

"Everything will be fine. You'll do great," Issei said in an attempt to encourage her.

"Yeah! It'll be fine. If I can get other fallen angels in the Grigori to follow commands, how hard can a human school be?" she said.

They both walked in and the entire class went silent. The boys, sans Motohama and Matsuda who paled at the sight of her, began to stare.

"Who is she?"

"Is she new?"

"She looks like a damn goddess! Maybe I can get with her and tap that!"

The teacher looked at her and saw that she was holding a note. "Right, everyone please quiet down. Issei, go to your seat," the teacher said as she looked over the class. Issei nodded and walked over to his desk, plopping his butt down next to Katase.

She leaned over and began to whisper to him. "She's going here now?" she asked.

"Yeah. Gremory-senpai got her into the school by pulling a few strings," Issei replied.

"Hey! You two! Pay attention to the new student's introduction!" the teacher said, causing Issei and Katase to snap their attention back to Raynare.

"Right! My name is Yuuma Amano! I'm 17 years old and I lived in Kyoto for most of my life before moving here," she said. "Please take care of me," Raynare said, bowing.

"Any questions for her?" the teacher asked. She saw a hand up.

"Yes, Ryuuji."

Ryuuji was one of the most popular boys in school and had the reputation of being a playboy. On top of that, he was one of the biggest bullies on campus. With a cocky smirk, he spoke.

"So, I saw you come in with Hyoudou. Are you two a thing because you can do better than the new kid," he said.

Motohama, Matsuda, Murayama, and Katase began to glare furiously at the boy.

"Ummm, no, Issei and I aren't dating. Issei is my cousin," she said. Her cover story was that she was Issei's cousin from Kyoto who moved here to finish her education upon finding out her cousin was alive.

"Sweet," he said, smiling at her. Raynare just smiled back uncomfortably.

Issei looked at the man with a slight glare on his face.

**[Partner. He has a Sacred Gear]**, Ddraig said.

"_Really? Which one?"_ Issei asked.

**[I don't know but this one feels like Vritra]** Ddraig told him.

"_Hmmm, I guess we have to be wary around him then,"_ Issei replied.

"Any other questions?" the teacher asked. No one else raised their hands. "Okay then! Amano-san, take that empty desk behind Murayama. Murayama, raise your hand!"

Murayama raised her hand and Raynare walked over to the seat behind her and sat down.

* * *

The bell rang, signaling that it was lunchtime and the teacher stopped lecturing and left the room to go eat her meal. Murayama turned around and greeted Raynare.

"Hi, I'm Murayama Inori. We didn't get properly introduced yesterday," she said.

"Oh right! I'm Yuuma Amano," Raynare said before leaning in. "I'm Raynare. Nice to officially meet you," she whispered into her ear.

"Yuuma," they turned and saw Issei with Katase, Matsuda, and Motohama. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," she said.

"Right, so our club got approved by the Student Council! They gave us the old school library," Katase said, holding up the paper.

"Wanna go visit it?" Motohama said.

"Yeah, let's go!" Murayama said, getting up. The group of six walked down and hallway and eventually saw Gisela ahead of them. She waved and began to walk with them. They arrived at a set of double doors and opened them. The old school library had two floors, each lined with empty bookshelves. Tables lay across the room covered in white cloth and a curtain covered the windows.

"Kaichou said that they recently cleaned it out so we don't have to worry about cleaning it ourselves. We just need the books," Katase told them.

"What's our club called anyway?" Gisela asked.

"Fantasy Literature Club!" Murayama told them.

"Fitting name… but not very creative," Matsuda said.

"Well, it was all she could think of and now we're stuck with it," Katase said, looking pointedly at Murayama.

"Sorry…" she said.

"In any case, we might as well start putting books up if we want this to look like a legitimate club," Issei said, summoning the spellbooks. He placed them each on a shelf, sorting them by color.

* * *

**Osaka International Airport, Same Time**

* * *

A nun struggled to drag her luggage out of the plane and fell on her rear. She sighed as her emerald green eyes looked up and saw another girl, her age helping her. The nun was pretty and petite. She had long flowing blonde hair that shined like gold and her beforementioned emerald green eyes glowed with kindness. She stood up and faced her companion. She had an ahoge on her head.

Her companion was slightly taller than her. Unlike the nun, she wore a black Addidas hoodie alongside black jogging pants. Her long, waist-length hair was chestnut brown and tied in a twintails fashion. Her eyes were a mix of violet and lavender and glittered like amethysts in the sun. Her figure was slender and her attire hid her curves well. She held an aura of depression and fatigue as she helped the nun up and dragged her luggage out of the plane.

The two checked in with TSA and made their way over to the airport entrance.

"Irina," the nun said, looking at her companion worried.

"Huh? Oh, I'm sorry Asia. I'm a little out of it," Irina said, flashing her a smile.

"Is it because of what happened back in Italy?" Asia asked.

"N-No! It's just being back here… it brings back memories of my childhood," Irina said, pulling out a locket. She opened it and inside was a picture of her and a boy with spiky brown hair making silly faces.

"Oh," Asia said, as they walked out into the streets of Osaka.

"You know that I don't regret leaving the church. What you did back there was show kindness and mercy as the Lord taught us. It is the clergy who are blind and faithless," Irina said to Asia.

"Thank you, Irina," Asia said.

Irina and Asia made their way to a train station and waited for the next train. It had been nine years since she left. Nine years since she heard Issei had disappeared and Gorou-Oji and Miki-Oba were murdered. Was she ready to face this? To face her past, knowing full well that her best friend might be dead.

"Irina!" she snapped out of her haze and saw Asia waiting for her. "The train is here."

"_All aboard for the train to Kuoh Town."_

Irina stood up and entered the train. The same train that would lead her back to it where it all began.

"I guess it's time to go home," she said as she sat down next to Asia, preparing herself for the long train ride ahead.

* * *

**Review Replies:**

**Darkscythe Drake: Great chapter and fanfic. Will we meet any other walkers here? Also, what creatures can Issei summon?**

**Yes, we will meet other walkers but not for a while. I kept Sifa Grent alive and plan to have her show up in the future and several others like Jace Beleren, Chandra Nalaar, etc. Ajani will also be a frequent visitor what with the mysterious female planeswalker from Issei's world going to be an Auramancer. Also, Issei is a Dracomancer and Angelomancer (Angel based Magic) so he can summon Angels and Dragons as well as use magic associated with them. As to who he can summon, well Gisela and a few others... hehe. Also, if I never made it clear in the last chapter, the summoning style is pre-revisionist so Gisela is not a hollow shell or copy summoned across the Aether. That is actually her.**

**Haney: Just simply awesome. I can't wait for the devils to react to the existence of planeswalkers. Please keep on doing a great job and update soon!**

**Thank you! Your words mean a lot to me and motivate me to continue to write more. You'll have to wait however until the end of the Fallen Angels Arc for the Planeswalker reveal when the first Planeswalker in the DxD world since Issei ascends.**

**brave kid: hey great job on this buddy, I hope you write more**

**Thanks and no worries, I will. I plan to have this go and finish with War of the Spark so this will be the first-ever completed DxD/MTG crossover. Hehehe, 200 chapters later...**

**That's all guys! I hope that I gave the Kendo Girls and the Perverted Duo the right colors. Remember, Issei is just guessing. If you have suggestions for what their actual mana color alignment should be, write it down in the reviews and state your reasons. We end this chapter with Irina and Asia heading to Kuoh and everything will fall into place from there. Before anyone asks, Irina was excommunicated from the Church. Reasons as to why will be revealed throughout the next few chapters as we end the Fallen Angel Arc. That also means that Xenovia has a new partner by the time the Excalibur Arc rolls around. In between the Riser Arc and the Fallen Angel Arc, there will be a mini-arc for the new Planeswalker after they ascend and Issei finding them and teaching them to perform their first conscious walk back to Earth. Anyway, review/fav/follow if you enjoy and want more. Authors on this site are fueled by reviews more than anything else. Have a great day/night or not! The choice is yours~.**


	5. Boy Meets Girl Again

**Hello guys! Welcome back from whatever educational version of Hell that is grade school if you're one of the young readers. If you're not, welcome back wage slaves! Sorry, I'm a bit... off today. So, here's the new chapter. I'm sorry if Issei looked stupid and ignorant of his own world's races. I guess I took the feigning ignorance thing too far. My bad... Also, sorry if Issei seems open but I promise you he wasn't open with the Gremory Peerage. Just the four. But not about the planeswalker thing. That won't be a thing until the first one awakens and they're all "WTF!?" Without further notices, let's do this!**

**I still own Magic or DxD but one day I will. Please support the official release.**

* * *

**[Ddraig talking]**

_**[Ddraig thinking]**_

_Mental Communication_

"Regular Dialogue"

**Attacks/Spells**

* * *

**Kuoh Town, September 13, 2019, 3:34 PM**

* * *

**[So, mind telling me about that picture you keep looking at?]** Ddraig asked his host as they walked down the aisles of the grocery store. Issei was on grocery duty this week. Gisela was now starting to train Raynare and in his opinion, it was going off great. He remembered it like it just happened yesterday.

_Issei and Gisela walked deeper into the woods outside of Kuoh Town followed by Raynare. She was wearing a violet tracksuit and her long black hair was tied up in a ponytail. Raynare looked between the two nervously. The night before, Issei had recounted old Innistrad tales of Gisela slaying hordes of demons with nothing but her two swords and bringing ruin upon monsters with a wave of her hand, unleashing the fury of the heavens upon them. The more extreme stories were Gisela creating her own entire flight of angels from the energies of her world._

"_Huh, they're just stories. There's no way that Gisela can destroy the sun with the sun," Raynare muttered to herself._

"_We're here," Raynare snapped up when she saw Gisela dressed in her battle armor._

"_Ummm, do we do stretches first or-?"_

"_Think fast!" Raynare dodged a beam of pure white energy. She looked up and behind her. The entire forest was gone. A large thirty-foot deep trench of scorched land stretched for several miles. _

_Her eyes were wide in horror and fear. Every hair on the back of her neck stood on end as she backflipped, evading a swipe from Gisela's blade. _

_Raynare stared at Gisela with wide eyes. "ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME!?"_

_Gisela looked at her innocently. "No," she said. Gisela turned to Issei. "Do you know any resurrection spells?"_

"_That doesn't make me feel better you know!" Raynare yelled._

"_I don't sadly. Never had time to learn what with Xenagos and Griselbrand," Issei said. "Don't die Raynare!" Issei hollered._

_Raynare flipped him the bird as she ran avoiding Gisela's light blasts by a hair. Gisela turned her blue eyes to Issei. "You should enchant her so that she doesn't die," Gisela said._

_Issei nodded and waved his hand, causing a blue and white aura to appear. "__**Divine Favor.**__" _

_Raynare felt a rush of energy. She was now surrounded by blue wispy energy that floated around her. "What is this?"_

"_An enchantment! One that is meant to help you survive Gisela's attacks," Issei said from his position on a tree branch._

"_Hehehe," Gisela's bangs covered her forehead as she laughed ominously. White mana gathered on her sword. She swung the sword, creating a massive white arc. The arc traveled at extremely high speeds towards Raynare, who barely dodged it but received a decent sized cut on the leg. The arc traveled into the distance, creating a large fissure as it moved before slamming into a mountain and cutting it in half._

Issei sighed as he relieved the memories. Good times and Raynare made great progress with her training. It used to be that the Fallen came home with Gisela each day covered in bruises and cuts and required Issei to heal her before she died of blood loss. Now, she came home with fewer cuts the other day so that was a plus. He might as well evaluate her upon coming home.

Issei finished checking out his items and left the store. As he absentmindedly thought of ways to send a message to Ajani, he felt someone crash into him, sending him to the ground and his groceries scattering all over the pavement. He looked over to see who crashed into him and saw a girl that was about his age. She had long blonde hair that shined in the sunlight and the most innocent green eyes. He looked down and saw a sight that he silently thanked the Ur-Dragon for.

"Dio mio. Mi dispiace signore!" the girl said.

_Italian? Thank god that one of the Spark's powers is omnilingualism_, Issei thought.

"No, no, it's okay miss. I should've watched where I was going," Issei said, standing up. He offered her his hand and helped the girl up.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

"Yes," Issei noticed her necklace. _A crucifix? She must be a member of the church_, Issei thought.

**[Partner. Be wary of her. Heaven does not take kindly to someone who harms one of their own]** Ddraig told him. Issei nodded internally.

"Excuse me," the girl said, causing Issei to look at her.

"Yes?"

"Do you happen to know where the local church is? I've been assigned to it," she said.

Issei's eyes widened slightly upon hearing her words.

"_Wasn't that the church Raynare said the traitors were hiding in?" _Issei said.

Ddraig nodded, clearly not liking where this was headed.

"Umm, there is no church. At least, not any churches that are still up and running," Issei said to her.

The girl's cheery smile vanished as her attitude deflated. The girl looked down and Issei felt a wave of uselessness and despair come over him.

"Why I can't I do anything right? First, I get Irina and myself kicked out of the church and now, I can't even find one for us to rest up in," she mumbled.

As she mumbled her words, Issei made out one word that sparked memories.

"_Ise-kun! Wait up!" a girl with orange-chestnut hair called out. Her violet eyes were trained on the small boy ahead of her._

"_C'mon Rin-chan! We're almost there! Okaa-san said that a dragon used to live here!" Issei called._

_Rin climbed up the last few feet of rocky slope and stood next to a beaming Issei. _

"_Let's go find that dragon and rescue the princess like the heroes did in those stories," Issei said, pointing to a small cave with a stick._

"_Umu!" Rin said as she ran after Issei holding her own stick._

"Hello!" he snapped out of his memories and saw Asia looking at him expectantly.

"I asked what your name was? Mine is Asia. Asia Argento," she introduced herself.

"Oh, I'm Hyoudou. Hyoudou Issei," he said.

"Nice to meet you, Hyoudou-san!" Asia said brightly.

"Just call me Issei," he said. "So how do you know Japanese? From the looks of it back there, Italian seems to be your mother tongue."

"I have a friend who taught me how to speak when we were younger," Asia said meekly.

"Oh, cool. So where are you staying?" Issei asked as he began to pick up his groceries.

"In a hotel not too far from the shopping center," she said.

"Cool, I'll walk you home," Issei said.

"O-Oh, no no no! You don't need to do that," she said. Oh god, what would Irina think? First, she knocks someone over, nearly ruins their groceries, and now is getting escorted back by said person. This was officially her worst day in Japan right now.

"Umm, okay? I'll be off. See you around Asia-san," Issei said as he began to walk home.

"Wait!" Issei turned around and saw the blonde walking to catch up. She caught up after a few seconds and panted. "I *pant* need help getting back. I… got lost," she said, twiddling her fingers.

"Oh, why didn't you say so earlier?" Issei said as he walked back.

"Here, let me help carry these!" Asia said, taking one of the bags.

The two walked, chatting about their lives. Issei talked of how he lived in Europe for a time then moved back while Asia mentioned her life in the church.

"So what's it like being a nun? Beyond the celibacy and the abbey life," Issei asked as they turned a corner.

"I never really experienced the _normal nun life_," Asia said, looking down. Her emerald green eyes dimmed and lost their shine for a moment. Issei took note of this and decided to press for more answers.

"Huh? What do you mean?" he pressed.

"Do you know what it's like to live an existence where you're adored by everyone but in the end, you're still alone?" she asked.

Issei shook his head. He never had to experience something like that. Everything tried to kill him at first sight. Well, nearly everything. That genius bastard, Niv Mizzet, tried to ask him questions about Sacred Gears to the point where he nearly died of exhaustion.

"It's not a life I recommend," she said. "I should start from the beginning."

"Beginning sounds nice," Issei said.

"I was abandoned at birth by my mother, or so the clergy told me. I was raised to be a nun for the Christian Church. Lived the way the Lord taught us to live. I followed all his teachings and one day, He granted me a gift," Asia said, raising her hands. Two silver rings with blue-green gems at the center appeared on her hands.

"This is Twilight Healing, my Sacred Gear. It allows me to heal all manner of life. Human, Angel,... even Fallen Angels and Devils," Asia said.

Issei stayed silent as she told her story.

"It was because of this _gift_," Asia spat out the word as if it was venom, "that I was excommunicated. All because I healed a man. A man who turned out to be a Devil."

"So they banished you for that?" Issei said.

"Hehe," she let out a laugh that Issei knew for sure did not normally belong to her. "AHAHAHA! They branded me a heretic! Called me a witch! The only person who talked to me got excommunicated for standing up to me! And now… and now…, I feel like I failed the one person who stuck with me by getting lost in this goddamned town!" she screamed.

She broke down crying in the middle of the street. Thankfully, everyone just ignored them and Issei led her over to a bench. After she calmed down, she felt someone pat her head.

"Don't worry. I'm sure that the person doesn't feel like you failed them or even hates you. Besides, you're not alone anymore. You have me. You have that person," Issei said, ruffling her hair.

Asia blushed slightly as she felt a warm feeling build up inside her heart. Is this what it was like to have an older brother?

Issei smiled as he looked at her but behind her was the image of a woman with dark brown hair and kind black eyes. She wore a white hooded cloak and silver armor with gold highlights. The woman smiled warmly at Issei before fading away.

"Hey, thanks for listening," Asia said.

"Yeah, sure," Issei said. "Let's get you home."

"Of course… _nii-san_," She whispered out the last part and followed after Issei.

The two walked for several more minutes before arriving at a small hotel that had recently opened up in Kuoh. Asia handed Issei back his bags and proceeded to walk to the small hotel. Before she walked inside, Asia turned around looking at Issei one last time.

"I had fun today, Issei-san. I hope we can see each other again soon," Asia said to him.

"We will. You do live here after all!" Issei said to her. Nodding at his words and promise, Asia walked inside the hotel, leaving Issei alone outside. Issei began to walk back to his house deep in thought.

"_Ddraig,"_ Issei said. "_We need to take out those rogue fallen."_

**[What are you thinking of, Partner?]** he asked.

"_Get a small army of dragons. Raze the church. Or maybe just send Gisela in I don't know,_" Issei said as he crossed the street.

**[Sending Gisela in is the equivalent of using a nuke on an ant. It's impractical. Besides, the Gremory Heiress said that you must notify her if you make any movements against any supernatural beings within Kuoh]** Ddraig reminded him.

Issei sighed as he opened the door to his house. Upon walking in, he saw Raynare sitting down nose deep in a spellbook he had given her. He had "borrowed" that spellbook from the Orzhov Syndicate. It contained a whole slew of spells involving spirits and death among other things.

"Hey, is Gisela here?" Issei asked her. Raynare looked up and nodded. She gestured to the stairs, indicating that Gisela was most likely in her room doing homework. Issei walked over to the kitchen and began to unpack, preparing all of the ingredients he needed to make a good dinner.

* * *

**Izumo Inn, 5:55 PM**

* * *

Asia walked inside and greeted the innkeeper, "Asama-san! Good evening," Asia waved.

"Oh, Asia. Hello!" the woman said. Miya Asama was a slender yet shapely fair-skinned woman waist-length purple hair with shorter bangs that is in a hime cut and brown eyes. She wears the traditional attire of a miko that is a purple hakama, a white haori with a sash-like belt, wooden sandals and a white ribbon to partially hold her hair in place.

"Ara, ara. Did you get lost on the way back, Asia-san?" Miya asked her.

"Yeah. I had to ask for directions," Asia said, embarrassed by her inability to find her way back.

"Irina-san is in your room if you need her," Miya said. "Dinner is at 6 okay?"

Asia nodded and made her way over to their rented room. She opened the door and saw Irina watching TV. Her hair was wet indicating that she had just taken a shower and she wore a loose black tank top and grey jogging pants.

The sound of the door opening caught Irina's attention as her eyes moved to see Asia standing at the door.

"Asia. How was your walk?" Irina asked.

"I was actually trying to find the church," she confessed. Irina sighed and stood up. She walked over to her bag and grabbed a bottle of water for both of them.

"We'll go to it tomorrow," Irina said.

"I met someone today. A boy. He helped me find my way back here to the inn," Asia told her as they both sat down.

"Really? That's nice of him," Irina said absentmindedly.

"He looked like the boy on the photo of your locket," Asia said to her.

Irina nodded not really paying attention. She had been to the graveyard earlier that day and paid her respects to Issei's parents who were like a second set of parents for her. She was as close to them as she was to her own parents.

"What was his name?" Irina asked as she began to drink more water.

"He said his name was Issei," Irina spat her drink out, getting Asia wet. Asia grabbed a napkin and wiped Irina's spit off her face. She looked at her friend who was coughing.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, carry on," Irina said, waving her off.

"Right, so I knocked him over and helped him carry his groceries while he led me back here," Asia said. "We talked on the way over about our lives and stuff. He listened and made me feel like I was worth something. I felt warm…," Asia said, remembering the warm familial feeling.

"Ohhh, sounds like someone has a cruuussssh!" Irina teased.

"W-What? No! It's not like that!" Asia waved her hands frantically in a flustered manner. "He's more like the older brother I always wanted."

Irina went silent at her words. She knew of her friend's dream to have a family and friends. Irina was the first to become her friend and now it seemed that this strange boy wormed his way into her friend's heart. She would need to meet this "Issei" later on if that was even his real name.

"Also, about the church…," Asia began to fidget as she spoke.

"What about it?" Irina asked her.

"Well, it turns out that the church is abandoned," Asia said. Irina sighed and brought her hands up to her temples.

_Great! Where are we supposed to go now? Looks like the Gremory and Sitri Heiresses are our last hope,_ Irina thought.

"Irina, do we have to ask the devils for help now?" Asia asked her.

"I guess we do…," Irina squeezed the bottle she was holding.

"We could ask Issei-san," Asia told her.

Irina looked at Asia with confusion visible on her face. Why would they ask someone Asia just met today?

"Umm, not to be a downer or anything but why would we ask your new friend?"

"He's nice! He can help us find a place to stay," Asia told her.

Irina bit her lip. Either go the devil administrators of this territory and reveal themselves or go to some random stranger Asia had met earlier that day. She did not like those odds. What if this Issei was some irredeemable pervert that spouted about the glory of breasts at the top of his lungs or something?

"I don't know," Irina said hesitantly.

"We'll never know until we try," Asia reasoned out.

Irina sighed. "Okay, we'll go find this Issei person tomorrow. For now, let's just rest up. I'll try to get us enrolled in a school in a few days as well as get a job to support both of us," she said.

Asia looked down after Irina said those words. "I- I can get a job as well," she offered.

Irina's eyes softened as she turned her gaze back to Asia. "Asia…," she said.

"No, I won't let you do everything! I need to help too! I'm the reason we're here in the first place! You should be on missions with Xenovia and I should be healing the next bloke that comes in with a treatable injury," Asia said. "I'm getting a job and you can't stop me!"

Irina raised her hands in surrender. Asia's outburst had honestly surprised her. The girl was normally so meek and gentle.

"Okay, okay. We'll look for jobs tomorrow then since you're so eager to get one," Irina said to her.

Asia's face lit up at the notion of finally being able to contribute to the team. She would prove that she could pull her own weight and that Irina didn't need to do everything for her just because she was an extremely sheltered nun. Well, ex-nun.

She reached over the table and hugged Irina tightly. "Thank you!"

"Yeah, no problem," Irina said, rubbing her back. "After all, what are friends for?"

"It's dinner time you two!" the two immediately shot to their feet upon hearing Miya's voice.

* * *

**Kuoh Town, 7:45 PM**

* * *

Issei and Raynare walked down the near-empty streets of Kuoh. Issei had told her that he was going to see how far she came in her training with Gisela. Issei had told her he was merely going to assess her magical knowledge. Raynare walked behind Issei nervously. Gisela had taught her a few spells here and there but her training was currently focused on her combat skills. Gisela had deduced that she could easily cover the magical department if she asked Issei or read one of the spellbooks and decided more on her close-quarters combat skills.

As the two made their way down the streets, Issei sensed the presence of a being similar to Raynare.

_Fallen? Already? Trial by Fire it is then,_ Issei thought. He looked over to Raynare and saw that she had sensed them too.

"Do you know this one?" he asked as he silently began to channel white mana into his hands.

"No, this one is new," Raynare said, doing the same.

"I guess I'll evaluate you in this situation then," Issei said, quickly turning around and unleashing a spell.

"**Sunlance**," Issei threw a white-hot spear of pure light at the source of the energy. A figure evaded the lance, shooting into the sky revealing his one pair of wings.

"Armaros…" Raynare growled. Armaros was a Fallen Angel that had tried to win her over multiple times and even tried to spike her drink once. Luckily, her adoptive brother was there to stop anything else from happening.

Armaros was a fairly average looking Fallen Angel. He wore a dark coat, had black hair, and golden eyes. He had a perverted look on his face.

"Ray-ray! I finally found you! Dohnaseek told me that you were being a bad girl and not following orders," he said.

"Fuck off dickwad!" Raynare said.

"Your words hurt me my precious raven," his gaze turned to Issei. His face morphed into one of pure malice and jealousy. "Who's this motherfucker!?"

"He's my friend!" Raynare snapped back.

"No, nonononononononononononononono! You don't need any other friends! You need no one else except for Armaros!" he yelled, forming three light spears. He chucked them at high speeds towards Issei.

Raynare reacted quickly, casting a shielding spell. "**Circle of Protection: White!**" a barrier enveloped Issei, deflecting all the spears.

"Ray-ray, what are you doing? This man is getting in the way of our love!" Armaros said. "I see… he's corrupted you! Well, then, let me kill this man and I'll purify you with my sweet love milk!" he said as a second pair of wings sprouted from his back.

Raynare's eyes widened. "Four wings? He has two pairs already?" she said.

"Raynare, don't give up. Remember, he's ant compared to who you've fought for the past few days," Issei said from inside the barrier.

"You're right," she said. She gathered more white mana at her hands. Raynare turned her baleful eyes at Armaros, who flinched underneath the sheer force of her glare alone.

"Those eyes… they don't suit you!" Armaros said. "HE DID THIS!" he charged towards Issei, light spear ready to strike through Issei's heart.

Raynare appeared in front of him and threw her hands forward. The most powerful spell she had managed to learn in the span of a week from Issei's spellbooks.

"**Take Vengeance!**" A massive beam of white light came forth from Raynare's hands and cut straight through Armaros. The fallen angel screamed as his entire being was ripped apart from piece to piece. The light beam dissipated and ash and smoldering angel feathers rained down from the sky.

"Take Vengeance? That's a high-level spell for someone like you but still, you managed to cast it," Issei said, impressed.

Raynare looked at him while panting. She gave a thumbs up in appreciation. The spell, Take Vengeance, was a spell that only worked if the person had already made a move with clear hostile intent. Armaros had already attacked Issei so the spell was able to rip through him like paper. It would be a while before Raynare could use the spell with such skill that she could harm and kill beings much stronger than she is.

"Hmmm, since you learned such a spell higher in level than what you can currently do, I'll teach you another one," Issei said, gathering white mana into his hands. "Some spells allow you to summon tokens. Tokens are constructs formed from mana, in our case white mana. This spell is simple but calls soldier tokens to fight alongside you."

"So they're just figments of my imagination?" she asked.

Issei nodded. "The spell I'm about to teach you is called Captain's Call. It allows you to create three soldiers to fight with you. Watch," Issei gathered white mana into one hand and cast the spell, causing a white mist to appear. The mist swirled before condensing and taking the shape of three human soldiers. The soldiers turned to Issei and saluted him.

"Wooah! Is there one that lets me summon angel tokens?" Raynare asked.

"Yes, it's called Entreat the Angels but that spell is beyond your level for now," Issei said, dispelling the tokens.

"Can you cast it?"

Issei nodded. "Not here. The spell isn't exactly discreet," Issei said.

"Alright, let's see it when we get home!" Raynare said. Issei chuckled at her enthusiasm and the two made their way home. After they left, Mittelt came out from behind the bushes, dumbfounded by what she just saw. She had followed Armaros out of the church and arrived in time to see him fight Raynare. While she didn't hear anything other than Armaros's incessant screaming, the fact that Raynare managed to kill a fallen angel with four wings in one hit was an eye-opener for her.

"Are we really doing the right thing in pissing her off?" Mittelt said. Her mind wandered over to Raynare's companion. The man created three people out of white fog. That wasn't all. His power was greater than Raynare, the Gremory Heiress, and the Sitri Heiress alongside their peerages combined. He was at least Ultimate Class in strength and that was just an estimate. She felt more power hiding beneath the surface.

"If that guy decides to come to the church, we are so fucked!" Mittelt said as she began to take off. "Maybe I should run and hide… or go join Raynare." With these thoughts and a plan forming inside her head, Mittelt flew off into the night sky and headed back to the church.

* * *

**Kuoh Town, September 14, 2019, 10:00 AM**

* * *

Issei woke up to the sound of banging on his front door. Rubbing his eyes sleepily, Issei shuffled down the stairs and opened the door. There at the front door was Koneko and a boy about his age he didn't recognize. The boy was handsome. A bishounen by Issei's standards. He had soft, messy, raven black hair and ruby red eyes. His eyes shined with the crimson glow of protection and Issei could easily read the "Don't mess with me or her you fucktard." He wore a red short-sleeved blazer with a high collar and white sleeves. Underneath was a black undershirt that hugged his muscular frame perfectly. He wore blue jeans and red and white sneakers.

Issei recognized him as one of the Princes of Kuoh. He was up there with Kiba and was known as the **Berserker of Kuoh**.

"More," Koneko said, sticking her hand out.

"More what?" Issei said blearily.

"More tarts!" she said forcefully.

"I don't have any. I'll have to order more and catch a flight back to Ireland," Issei said. Koneko's entire world shattered upon hearing his words. Her eyes unfocused and her breathing became erratic. She barely registered Issei's next sentences. "Now go home! Isseis need to sleep in order to make calls," he said, closing the door.

"Arata, don't let him get away!" Koneko said.

"Hey, wait up buddy!" Arata went to go grab Issei's arm, only for Issei to immediately grab it and twist it behind his back.

"No touching the merchandise," Issei said as he let go.

Arata rubbed his arm. _This guy has one hell of a grip and he isn't even a devil!_ He thought.

"Sorry about that. It's just this annoying cat right here barged into my house at 8 in the morning and dragged me here. Name's Minami. Minami Arata. Call me Arata," he said, extending his hand.

"Yeah, Hyoudou Issei," Issei said, firmly returning the shake.

Issei turned to look at Koneko. "Look, give me a few days and I'll get you your damn chocolate. Deal?" Issei asked.

"I find these terms to be acceptable, Master," Koneko said, bowing.

"Master? Really?"

"Onii-chan then?"

"Isn't he your Onii-chan or something?" Issei said, pointing his thumb to Arata.

"Oi, don't drag me into this!" he said to Issei.

"Watashi no ai! Darling! Issei-sama!"

"Stoooooppp! I'll get you your damn tarts! Come back tomorrow!" Issei said.

"Good. Don't forget," Koneko said, turning around to leave. Arata quickly followed behind her and the two began talking about boxing and sparring.

Issei sighed and slammed the door, walking upstairs to go back to his much-needed sleep.

"Bed… if someone ever hurts to you, they're going up to the very top of my shit list right above Heliod," Issei said dreamily as he went back to sleep.

* * *

Raynare and Gisela decided to go out and have fun around town while Issei slept the day away. It would be the first-day Raynare spent with the Archangel that didn't involve blasting her with rays of light or trying to turn her into ground Raynare.

"So, what is Innistrad like? I only hear snippets of it from you and Issei," Raynare asked.

"Well, Innistrad is… the closest I can compare it to is Dark Age Western Europe," Gisela said. "For humans, existence was an everyday battle. Everything tried to kill you. Vampires. Werewolves. The Undead. Other humans. Ghosts. Devils. But worst of all, Demons."

"There's a difference?" Raynare asked.

"In our world there is. Here's a simple picture. A devil will burn one person alive. A demon will burn an entire town," Gisela's mind flew to the images of the Demonlord of Ashmouth cackling like a madman was he slaughtered every single person in a roadside town. She had arrived in time to see him eating the corpse of an infant after defiling its mother until she died. The Demonlord swiftly met his end by her blade.

Raynare shivered at the description. "Our devils are pretty horrible too. Well, they "used" to be. They had a civil war a few hundred years back in which the side that advocated that they do evil was cast out from the Underworld," she said.

"Progress…," Gisela said, wondering what would happen had Avacyn spared their sister. The only problem was that their sister conspired to bring about the end of prosperity for all creatures and proclaim herself and her demonic lover as rulers of Innistrad.

"Still though, horrible devils do exist in their ranks. They just joined the winning side," Raynare said.

Gisela nodded.

"Raynare-san!" the two turned around upon hearing a voice call out to them. Raynare's eyes widened upon seeing the familiar blonde hair of an old friend.

"Asia!" Asia glomped Raynare, hugging her with all her might.

"Raynare-san!" Asia said, happily.

"Asia! Slow down!" a girl with chestnut hair styled in a twintails fashion and violet colored eyes ran over to them. She was wearing a white blouse and a black skirt. She slowed down and stopped upon seeing Asia hugging Raynare.

"Asia," she said.

"Oh, Irina, this is my friend. Her name is-"

"Raynare, the Princess of the Grigori. I know who she is," Irina said, going immediately on guard. Her gaze wandered over to the redhead standing next to Raynare. Power trickled off her as if she was struggling to suppress it.

"Gisela. My name is Gisela Markov," she said.

"Irina. Irina Shidou," she replied.

"So what are you guys doing?" Asia asked.

"Oh, we're just roaming around," Raynare said. "Our friend is still sleeping back at our house sooo…"

Irina nodded as she lowered her guard. However, she was still suspicious of the two and why they were here. She focused on the string wrapped around her wrist.

_Maybe I won't need it. Kinda feel bad for stealing it,_ she thought as she followed behind the three.

"Irina!" Irina looked up and saw Gisela looking at her. "They're inside," she said, pointing at the arcade.

"Right," she said as she and Gisela walked in after them. Irina was treated to the sight of Raynare dominating everyone in DDR (Dance Dance Revolution).

"Raynare-san, you're so amazing!" Asia said with stars in her eyes.

"Hahahaha! Bow before your new queen you fucking weebs!" she laughed triumphantly as everyone cheered when she surpassed the high score.

Everyone in the arcade bowed down to her after she finished the round and entered her score. The managers managed to get it and put it up on the screen as the new record.

Irina's jaw dropped upon seeing the number. She did it! She surpassed her and Issei's record in DDR!

36,700,546,069 pts...RYNR

36,700,546,067 pts...ISIR

She smiled upon seeing their combined initials. It was a glorious day for her and Issei when they made a new record. It was millions of points above the previous one.

"Hey, Irina?" Irina turned to see Gisela looking at the DDR machine.

"Let's try it. I too want to revolutionize dancing," Gisela said, closing her fist as if she was ready for battle.

"Eh?" Irina had no time to respond as Gisela ran over to the machine. Irina watched as Gisela failed to get the combinations right and after a few minutes of cringe-worthy dancing, the redhead was sitting on the floor, depressed.

"How… I prayed to you and everything, Avacyn. Why do you deny me victory?" she muttered.

"Guess it's your turn then isn't it, Irina?" she turned around and saw Raynare and Asia, who was holding a Pikachu plushie.

"Yeah, time to reclaim my spot as Empress of this arcade," Irina said, stepping up onto the platform. The minute she said those words, Raynare's eyes widened and the manager saw her.

"Is that…?"

"No way…"

"It's her."

"**THE TWIN TAILED GODDESS OF GAMES!**"

Irina basked in the applause as she picked a song. She picked one close to her heart. One that symbolized her feelings after Issei was pronounced missing.

**|Play Red Like Roses Part II|**

**I couldn't take it, couldn't stand another minute**

**Couldn't bear another day without you in it**

**All of the joy that I had known for all my life**

**Was stripped away from me the minute that you died**

**To have you in my life was all I ever wanted**

**But now without you, I'm a soul forever haunted**

**Can't help but feel that I had taken you for granted**

**No way in hell that I can ever comprehend this**

Irina began to rapidly hit all the beats, hitting all perfects and earning her a massive amount of points within the first few seconds of the song.

**I wasn't dreaming when they told me you were gone**

**I was wide awake and feeling that they had to be wrong**

**How could you leave me when you swore that you would stay?**

**Now I'm trapped inside a nightmare every single f'ing day**

**It's like a movie, but there's not a happy ending**

**Every scene fades black, and there's no pretending**

**This little fairy tale doesn't seem to end well**

**There's no knight in shining armor who will wake me from the spell**

Irina hit another set of perfects, earning her another set of points. She was getting closer and closer to Raynare's high score by the second. The crowd watched on and on with bated breath.

**I know you didn't plan this**

**You tried to do what's right**

**But in the middle of this madness**

**I'm the one (I'm the one, I'm the one)**

**You left to win this fight**

**Red like roses**

**Fills my head with dreams and finds me**

**Always closer**

**To the emptiness and sadness**

**That has come to take the place of you**

Irina kept dancing to the beat. Gisela, Asia, and Raynare just stood on awestruck by her skill.

29,045,567,000

"She's almost there!" Raynare said, pointing to the screen.

**I know you're broken down by anger and by sadness**

**You feel I left you in a world that's full of madness**

**Wish I could talk to you, if only for a minute**

**Make you understand the reasons why I did it**

**I wanna tell you that you're all that ever mattered**

**Want you to know that, for eternity, I'm shattered**

**I tried so hard just to protect you, but I failed to**

**And in a prison of abandonment, I've jailed you**

Irina missed a beat, causing her to slow down in point intake. The crowd gasped, but Irina ignored them and kept dancing.

**I never planned that I would leave you there alone**

**I was sure that I would see you when I made it back home**

**And all the times I swore that it would be okay**

**Now I'm nothing but a liar, and you're thrown into the fray**

**This bedtime story ends with misery ever after**

**The pages are torn, and there's no final chapter**

**I didn't have a choice, I did what I had to do**

**I made a sacrifice but forced a bigger sacrifice on you**

**I know you've lived a nightmare**

**I caused you so much pain**

**But, baby, please don't do what I did**

**I don't want (I don't want, I don't want)**

**You to waste your life in vain**

Memories rushed through her mind of her and Issei. The times they had together. The laughter they shared. Their fights. Their hopes. Their dreams. The feelings she would never get to say.

**Red like roses**

**Fills my head with dreams and finds me**

**Always closer**

**To the emptiness and sadness**

**That has come to take the place of you**

**You're not the only one who needed me; I thought you understood**

**You were the one I needed, and you left me as I always feared you would**

**Would I change it if I could?**

**It doesn't matter how**

**The petals scatter now**

**Every nightmare just discloses**

**It's your blood that's red like roses**

**And no matter what I do**

**Nothing ever takes the place of you**

Tears began to stream down her face as she poured more of her heart into dancing.

39,045,678,000 pts

"She did it!" Gisela said, cheering for Irina. Raynare and Asia cheered for her to set a new record, higher than the one before.

**Red like roses**

**Fills my head with dreams and finds me**

**Always closer**

**To the emptiness and sadness**

**That has come to take the place of you**

**|End song|**

The song ended and Irina was panting slightly. A small amount of sweat slid down her forehead as she reached up to wipe her tears off. Irina strutted proudly over to the screen to enter her name.

45,678,420,069 pts...ISIR

She smiled as everyone chanted her title. A title shared alongside Issei. Irina looked over the plaque that had a picture of the two as children.

Issei had his arm wrapped around her shoulder, grinning at the camera. Irina stood next to him with a bright smile and a slight blush on her cheeks. The bottom of the plaque said "_Emperor and Empress of Games."_

She smiled at the plaque before she was dragged away once more by Asia.

* * *

The four girls stayed at the arcade for a little bit longer before heading out. The sun hung low in the sky. As they walked down the street, Raynare had an idea.

"Why don't you come over to our house for a bit?" she said.

"Oh no! We couldn't!" Irina said.

"Irina! These people offered us their hospitality. The best we can do is return it by being courteous guests. So says the Lord," Asia said.

"Where in the Bible does it say that?" she said, looking at Asia dryly.

"I made it up," she said.

"A nun. Making up Bible verses," Irina said. "Well, we're excommunicated so we might as well start living up to the title of heretics."

"Please!" Asia pulled out her puppy dog eyes while Raynare and Gisela watched in amusement. Irina attempted to resist the sheer omnipotent force of cuteness that was Asia as she looked away. Eventually, Asia won out and Irina conceded to her will.

"Fine, let's go. I'm hungry anyway and I did tell Asama-san that we'd be out," she said.

"Great! Such is the will of Asia-sama!" Asia said as she walked over to Raynare. "Lead the way."

Raynare and Gisela led them to a neighborhood. A familiar neighborhood. Irina looked around and saw her old house.

"This is my old neighborhood," she muttered.

Her anticipation grew when the four arrived at the house that was right next to it. Irina was shaking visibly as they walked up to the front door. Asia took notice of this and stopped, putting a hand on Irina's shoulder. Irina jumped before seeing that it was Asia who touched her.

"Irina, are you okay?" Asia asked, worried for her friend.

"Y-Yeah…, it's just. This was his house," she said. Asia nodded.

"Well, at least you get to see it once more after all these years right?" she said.

"Yeah… I'm ready," Irina said.

"Hey, slowpokes! Come on over!" Raynare said, waving at them with the front door open. Irina and Asia walked into a house from Irina's childhood. Everything was as she remembered. The stairs. The buzzing light. Even the little drawing she and Issei doodled onto the walls.

"Oh, you're home," a voice said from the kitchen. Asia immediately recognized the voice.

"Issei-san!" Irina's breath hitched at hearing Asia's words. Issei's footsteps were heard heading to the main living room. He was just like she remembered. He had the same eyes, the same hair, the same smile. Issei had filled out of course as she had seen from his athletic figure. But that wasn't important. What was important was that he was here.

"Oh, Asia, you're h-" Issei froze upon seeing her. She looked exactly as he remembered. She still had the same soft, chestnut-orange hair. The same warm violet eyes. Irina had become more womanly over the years ever since he learned she was actually a girl and not a boy. It was a few years before she left that he learned. Now here she was, standing before him.

"Iri-" Before Issei could say her name, Irina fainted.

"Irina!" Issei rushed over to her unconscious form.

* * *

**Review Replies**

**ragnarshadow: Sorin know about gisela use his surname ? I remember avacyn don t know about sorin is his father. Irina and asia are friends? Diodora goes for the two ? You make another oc for kokabiel arc for xenovia partner?**

**Yeah, I'll make another OC to be Xenovia's partner. Also, Avacyn knows Sorin is her father in this one. I personally liked that, especially the comics made by PolishTamales about it. Also, it'll be more pain and anguish for Sorin when he has to kill her in the Shadows of Innistrad Arc/Block. I do like to torture my characters.**

**Guest: So Saji doesn't exist in this version of DxD? Interesting, I sense that this one will cause trouble later. As for the Riser Arc, is it possible for you to speed through it? Just have Issei Wrath of God Riser or teach Rias the Terminate spell? Issei really doesn't need the added attention of the entire Underworld and beyond when is busy teaching his club. Can Gisela use light spears? I know she breaks the more wings more power rule of DxD, but does she share any other commonalities with DxD angels? Besides that, I can't wait for Michael's reaction when they learn that a Vampire created Angels. Boy, will that be a shock to their systems.**

**I've considered teaching Rias the Terminate Spell but the ramifications of her killing a member of another house is something I don't want to get into. The politics will take me a while to write sooo, other spell suggestions. I do plan on speeding through the arc considering that, I do plan to have Issei teach them. Also, Saji does exist. This new guy just has another one of Vritra's Sacred Gears. If you want to know, Rias is Red-Blue. She doesn't fit the criteria for Black.**

**Side note: In Magic, Devils are Red and Demons are Black. Rias is a Devil so we'll go from there.**

**Darkscythe Drake: Great chapter. I don't know if I missed this but, what are the pairings? Also, what events (blocks) did Issei participate in?**

**Thanks and good question as I never really said so here's a comprehensive list from start to finish: Shards of Alara, Conflux, Alara Reborn, Dark Ascension, Avacyn Restored, Return to Ravnica, Gatecrash, a little bit of Dragon's Maze, Theros, Born of the Gods, and Journey into Nyx. **

**Just A Bad Writer For Fun: Cool chapter. Thanks for telling me you uploaded it... After speaking with you and you bringing it up.**

**Thanks and you're welcome!:)**

* * *

**Thank you Just A Bad Writer For Fun for letting me use Arata in this story. He's going to be fun to mess with and write. Also, tokens. I know people will ask questions about it. For those that don't know, tokens are creature cards that are created through the effects of a spell or creature ability. You can't summon them naturally like you would a normal creature card. In the fic, tokens are constructs formed from the user's own mana in Issei's case, white mana. It is supposed to symbolize him pulling them out of his ass. Also, Take Vengeance only works on tapped creature cards. Tapped cards are activated cards and are usually seen as cards that have been turned ninety degrees to the right of its user. In this one, Take Vengeance can harm anyone but works better against those who attack hence the reference to tapped. I hope that helps explain. And yes, Miya is based on Miya from Sekirei. Remember, review/fav/follow. Have a great day/night or not the choice is yours.**


	6. In My Time of Dying

**Alright before we begin this chapter, I'd like to give a shoutout to Darkscythe Drake. His story, Draconian Pilot of Izzet, is a crossover story between Evangelion and MTG. It's really good, I recommend that you guys read it! A Shinji that's taught by Niv Mizzet is a Shinji I can get behind. To be honest, I never liked canon Shinji anyway.**

**I also have a few things I'd like to announce. I added one more planeswalker for the DxD world because if Dominaria can get twenty-two, Earth can get four. Another thing is the Spark. Since the pairing is Issei and Irina and I do plan to have Irina still join Michael's Brave Saints, I needed a way to give Issei the same lifespan as Irina soo with that in mind, I took a page out of Rick Riordan's book(s) and allowed the Planeswalkers to have _partial_ immortality. They can still die just not out of age. That means the nature of Liliana's deal has changed to the point where she wants her total immortality and power back which makes it harder for her to choose between the Gatewatch and her power so... yeah.**

**I do not own MTG or DxD. Please support the official release.**

* * *

**[Ddraig talking]**

_**[Ddraig thinking]**_

_Mental Communication_

"Regular Dialogue"

**Attacks/Spells**

* * *

**Hyoudou House, September 14, 2019, 8:30 PM**

* * *

Irina groaned as she slowly opened her eyes. The first thing her violet eyes realized was that she was not in Izumo Inn. She quickly jumped up to her feet and clutched the string wrapped around her wrist. The string morphed into an O-Katana.

"Oh, you're awake," a voice said behind her. Irina quickly whirled around and leveled the sword at the person's throat.

"Woah, Rin!" her eyes widened at the sight.

_It can't be… No, please stop torturing me_, she thought as her grip on the katana loosened.

"Rin… are you alright?" Issei asked. Issei was forced to take a step back when he felt two slender arms wrap around him. He felt his shirt starting to get wet and he looked down to see Irina crying into his chest.

"Hey, hey, it's okay. I'm here," he cooed into her ear as he softly stroked her hair. They stayed like that for a couple of minutes before Irina pulled out of the hug.

"Issei, is that really you?" she asked, wishing for him to say yes and for this entire moment to not be a dream.

"Yeah, of course, it is," he said.

"You've been alive this whole time?" Irina asked, her bangs shadowing her face.

"Yeah, though, it hasn't been easy," Issei said as he sat down on the floor. Irina took notice of his sudden change in mood and sat down next to him.

"What happened that night?" she asked.

"Some people, magicians, broke into our home and killed Otou-san and Okaa-san. I have an inkling of why they did it but don't know who sent them," Issei said.

Irina looked at him strangely. Why would magicians want to target a normal suburban Japanese family?

Seeing her look, Issei willed for his Sacred Gear to appear. Irina's eyes widened in surprise when she saw Issei's left arm. There before her eyes was the telltale Red Gauntlet of the Red Dragon Emperor.

"The **[Boosted Gear]**," she said, staring at the gauntlet. Irina turned her gaze towards Issei. "Did they know you had it?"

Issei shook his head. "I don't think they did. They just knew that I had a Longinus Sacred Gear."

Irina nodded. "That's understandable. Even dormant Sacred Gear users let out peculiar energy that sets them apart from other humans."

"I think they wanted to capture me that night," Issei said, looking up at the ceiling.

"So where have you been?" Irina asked him, changing the subject to something else. Issei tore his gaze away from the ceiling and looked at Irina. Should he tell her? She is his best friend. They stopped communicating after the attack on Issei and his parents as Issei had no way of communicating with her from another plane. Taking a chance, Issei began to speak.

"What I'm about to tell you is something you can't tell anyone. Not even Asia," Issei said seriously.

Irina looked taken aback for a moment at his serious tone before nodding.

"No one apart from Raynare knows this. Not even the Devils in this town. As far as they're concerned, after my parents were murdered, I escaped my kidnappers and was found by a group of magicians who healed me and I stayed in their village in Ireland for nine years before returning home. What actually happened was much different," Issei began to explain.

"What actually happened?" Irina asked.

"When I saw Okaa-san die, something in me snapped. It was like my entire world view shattered. I felt something inside me. A Spark igniting. Everything turned white and I ended up somewhere else."

"Where?"

"Another world," Issei said.

"You're kidding," Irina said, looking at her best friend incredulously. Seeing the completely dead serious expression on his face, Irina said, "You're not kidding. But Issei, that's ridiculous. The existence of other realms such as the Underworld, yes, but a whole another Universe. That's bit science fiction don't you think?"

"That's what I thought too until I was told otherwise," Issei said. "It's easier if I just show you," Issei said, channeling white mana to his hands. He put two fingers on Irina's forehead and both of their eyes began to glow white.

"**Pursuit of Knowledge**"

_Irina looked around and found herself on an alien terrain. Mountains stood tall in the distance while a massive, seemingly bottomless ravine stood before her. Above her, massive storms of power stretched across the entire sky and battered the land with powerful strikes of lightning. Irina watched as she saw __**dragons**__ being born from the storms, twisting their way out of the clouds of energy._

"_Where am I?" she muttered to herself._

"_In my memories," Irina yelped and turned around to see Issei standing next to her._

"_Don't do that!" she said, clutching her chest._

_Issei snickered at her reaction. "Nine years and I can still scare the crap out of you, HAHAHA!"_

"_MOUUUUU! IT'S NOT FUNNY!" she said, punching him hard on the shoulder._

"_Ow, jeez okay!" Issei said, rubbing his arm._

"_Where are we anyway?" Irina asked, gesturing to the barren storm-battered landscape in front of her._

"_We're on Tarkir," Issei said. "It's where I ended up."_

"_And this is another world?" Irina asked skeptically. Issei smiled and pointed to an empty space, prompting Irina to turn her gaze to it. A thunderous noise rang throughout the entire area as a swirl of white and gold energy appeared from seemingly nowhere. The energy exploded outwards, creating a small crater. Inside the crater was a younger Issei, who had cuts and bruises all over him. His clothes were damaged and tears ran down his face._

_Irina's eyes widened into that of pain and horror as she watched young Issei shakily stand to his feet. She stumbled when she felt the ground shake. A shadow loomed over behind older Issei and Irina. She slowly turned in sync with the younger Issei and saw a massive red dragon who appeared to be more of __a robust beast with antlers, horns, and fur._

_The young Issei fell on his butt and backpedaled to the edge of the ravine. The dragon took a step forward, hunger present in its reptilian eyes._

"_**A meal. For me? A bit on the small side but you'll do as a snack**__," the dragon spoke as it opened its maw and prepared to consume Issei. As it did, power burst forth from the canyon. Irina shielded her face from the intense winds and her eyes watched as streams of turquoise energy flew upward and swirled around each other before condensing into a massive dragon, bigger than the one before them. _

_Majesty and glory, no Irina felt that those words fell short at describing the being before her. Its entire form was shimmering a mix of turquoise and jade green. Its ethereal feathered wings, which was almost as large as its own body, left behind trails of blue wisps as it moved around, giving off the appearance that the dragon was not completely corporeal._

_Pleated scales inscribed with ancient runes jutted from the side of its neck, giving it the appearance of a cobra. Large curved horns that resembled gems adorned its head like a crown, further adding to the dragon's regal and majestic look._

_Its glowing ethereal blue eyes shimmered and shined with unfathomable wisdom and vast knowledge that Irina had never seen before, not even in the angels that visited the Vatican._

"_Atarka. Leave the boy alone," the dragon spoke, its voice reverberating throughout the entire valley._

_Atarka cowed under the force of the dragon's stare and backed off. "Of course, Father."_

_The dragon stared down at the cowering boy in between them. His eyes narrowed when he sensed it._

_So, he's one as well, the dragon thought. He lowered his head and stared directly into the younger Issei's eyes._

"_What is your name, hatchling?" the dragon asked._

"_I- Issei," he stuttered out, unsure of whether or not the dragon would eat him._

"_Hmm, interesting name. I am Ugin," Ugin said, introducing himself._

"_N-Nice to meet you Ugin-san," Issei said. "Do you know where I am and how I can get home?" Issei asked._

_Ugin paused for a moment before answering his question. "You are on Tarkir and as for how you can get home, that is completely up to you."_

"_I've never heard of Tarkir before," Issei said._

"_I can imagine. New walkers like yourself tend to appear like… what is that old human saying? A fish out of water or a deer in the lamplights? Either way, you are a long way from your home and even your own world," Ugin told the boy._

"_W -What do you mean?" young Issei asked._

_Ugin sighed. "You and I are the same. You are a Planeswalker. A being capable of traversing the Void or what we call the Blind Eternities and travel to other worlds."_

"_What? Other worlds don't exist! It's just a fantasy!"_

"_Yet, here you are. Speaking to a dragon."_

_Young Issei went completely silent at his words. His mood dropped and he curled up into a ball and began to cry softly. He would never see his parents again, never hear from Rin again._

_Ugin stared down at the crying child before him. He was never good with children. His experiences with Sorin Markov and Innistrad proved that to him. Hell, he never had to raise any. All of his spawn came out fully grown and sapient. Ugin looked to Atarka for any help only to find the dragoness flying away at breakneck speeds. Like Father, Like Daughter, he guessed._

_Turning his gaze back to Issei, he wrapped his tail around the boy in an attempt to calm him down. Young Issei felt something wrap around him and looked up and saw Ugin looking down at him._

_As Issei stared at him, Ugin gained an idea. He had always been frustrated by the antics and recklessness of the younger walkers, Jace Beleren and Chandra Nalaar chief among them. Perhaps this one would be different if he spent time under his tutelage. Yes, the boy would be a good apprentice. He would be different from the rest._

"_Boy," young Issei looked up at the dragon. "If you want, I can teach you. Teach you how to survive. And how to Walk to other worlds. Maybe, then, you can use this knowledge to head back to your home or to explore the new frontier that has been presented to you."_

_Young Issei looked at the dragon and contemplated his offer. This dragon claimed to be able to teach Issei how to Walk to other worlds but did not show any proof. Having no other choice, Issei made his decision._

"_Teach me."_

_Ugin cracked a small smile. He stood to full height and spread his majestic hawk-like wings._

"_Come. Let's get started."_

Irina opened her eyes and saw that she was in the room again, sitting next to Issei who was looking at her.

"Well," Issei asked, continuing to look at her expectantly.

Irina looked down, completely deep in thought. The entire situation seemed so far fetched but the area was completely alien to her. She didn't recognize anything nor did she recognize the names of any of the dragons in the memories. Granted, those memories were real in the first place. But those felt too genuine to be made up.

"I… I believe you," Irina said, looking at him. Issei's face lit up at her words. "But!"

Issei looked at her as soon as she said that.

"Tell me more about what you did. It looks like you went on that adventure we planned without me," Irina said, smiling slyly. Issei's smile grew larger and the two spent the next several hours, talking of their respective adventures.

* * *

**September 15, 2019, 12:00 PM**

* * *

Issei walked out of the Izumo Inn, holding several bags in his hand. Behind him, Gisela was carrying another set of bags while Irina was inside talking to the landlady.

"I can't thank you enough for letting us stay here, Asama-san," Irina said, bowing profusely.

"No, no, you don't need to thank me, Shidou-san. It's my job as a caretaker to take care of wayward children like you," Miya said, smiling warmly at her. Irina looked up at the woman and smiled before giving her a large hug. Bidding her one last farewell, Irina walked out the door with her bags.

"Is that everything?" Gisela asked her. Irina nodded and the three began to walk back to Issei's house carrying everything with them.

"So you're an angel, right? Issei told me about you," Irina said, trying to make conversation with Gisela.

Gisela looked over at the girl and smiled. "Yeah. I'm the youngest."

"Oh, so you have older siblings?" Irina asked her as they continued to walk.

"Yeah, I have two. Bruna and Sigarda," Gisela told her.

"Hmmm, Issei mentioned them. They're the Angels of Death and Life right?"

"Yeah, Sigarda is more of a mother hen than a sister and Bruna…," Gisela began to think of her other older sister.

"_Bruna! BRUNA, GET OUT OF BED!" an irate Gisela yelled, standing over her older sister._

"_Noooooo, let me sleep! Go bother Avacyn or Sigarda!" a brunette angel said, pulling the covers over her._

"Bruna is… lazy for a lack of better terms," Gisela told her. Irina nodded sagely as if remembering something.

"Issei was like that too back when we were younger," Irina said, looking ahead at Issei's back.

"Really? Issei never talked about his childhood before," Gisela remarked.

"Hmm, I can understand. I wouldn't like to remember it much if my parents died in front of me," Irina said somberly.

"I know. Issei told me about it back when we were fighting together on Innistrad," she replied.

"So, want to hear about some embarrassing Issei moments?" Irina asked her. Gisela grinned widely and nodded.

"So there was this one time…"

* * *

Raynare and Asia walked out of the store with several plastic bags in hand. While Issei, Gisela, and Irina had gone to get their things from the Izumo Inn, she and Asia had been tasked with getting more supplies to accommodate for the increased number of people.

"Ne, Raynare, why are you in Kuoh? The last time you saw me, you were with Azazel-sama visiting the Church to discuss something," Asia asked her.

Raynare froze. She had completely forgotten that the others were here for her and Asia. She had let the previous day completely take over her reason for learning underneath Issei.

"Asia, let's get home. I'll tell you when we get there," Raynare said, increasing her pace. Asia grew confused and jogged lightly to catch up with her.

"What's wrong, Raynare?" Asia said with a worried look on her face.

"Look, I'll explain when we get back to th-"

"Well, well, well, so this is where you were?" a low female voice steeped in seduction called out. Raynare's blood ran cold as she quickly turned around to be met with a fist buried in her gut. Raynare flew back and crashed into a bench.

Asia turned to see a woman with navy blue hair standing in front of her. She had a buxom figure and wore a maroon trenchcoat like top with a wide-open collar that exposed the top part of her breasts and cleavage. She also wore a matching miniskirt and black heeled shoes.

Asia took a step back when the woman turned her yellow eyes upon her. "Hmmm, looks like she's here," the woman said, licking her lips.

"Don't you fucking touch he- GAHHH!" Raynare coughed up blood as Dohnaseek appeared, driving his foot into her already injured torso.

"Let's grab her and get out of here," Dohnaseek said, spreading his wings and taking off.

Kalawarner nodded and grabbed the nun, taking off into the skies.

"A..sia," Raynare gasped out in pain as she tried to reach out for her. Trying to ignore the pain in her abdomen, Raynare shakily stood to her feet, her hands holding her stomach.

Raynare hobbled in the direction of the abandoned church and prepared to spread her wings when she heard a familiar voice behind her.

"I know you're not stupid enough to go after them the way you are right now," Raynare turned her head to see a familiar blonde gothic lolita leaning on a lamppost.

"Mittelt," Raynare said, channeling white mana into her hands. The angel didn't even bat an eyelash as she walked up to Raynare and grabbed her arm, supporting her. Her actions surprised Raynare as she immediately stopped casting the spell.

"Why?" Raynare asked as Mittelt began to help her walk, supporting her weight.

"Because I don't want to die," the blonde said.

Raynare raised an eyebrow at her words.

"Die?"

"Those two you're with, especially the redhead. If they find out who did this to you and took that nun, they will raid the church and I don't want to be on the receiving end of whoever pisses them off," Mittelt said as they rounded the corner. "Which way to his house?"

"Take a left at the end of this street."

The two turned the corner and Raynare spotted Issei, Irina, and Gisela at the gates about to enter the house.

"Issei…," Raynare squeezed out through her pain. The three turned at the sound of her voice and immediately ran over as soon as they saw the state she was in.

"What happened?" Issei asked as he immediately began to cast **Angel's Mercy** on her. Raynare sighed in relief as she slowly felt the pain begin to fade away.

Gisela saw her companion and her eyes began to glow. In the blink of an eye, Mittelt found herself pinned to the telephone pole, Gisela gripping her throat.

"What did you do to her?" she growled.

"Not… me! The… others!" Mittelt choked out.

"Gisela, let her go," Issei said as he finished healing Raynare's wounds. Gisela hesitated before letting go, dropping Mittelt to the ground. The fallen gasped for air as she massaged her throat.

Issei walked up to the Fallen and kneeled in front of her. Mittelt froze as she felt the entire weight of Issei's cold stare.

"Where are they?"

"A- At the Abandoned Church!" she squeaked out. Irina narrowed her eyes.

"If there are rogue Fallen there, then they likely have Stray Exorcists there as well," Irina chimed in.

"I don't want to make a fuss over this but if me and Gisela go in to get Asia back, we'll draw the entire attention of the other Supernatural Factions," Issei said, getting up.

"Why is that?" Raynare said, looking between Issei and Mittelt.

"Rias stated that if we were going to do anything involving the Supernatural, we were to notify her. If word gets out that an angel and a boy made their way around the territory of the Sitri and the Gremory Heiresses and took out a battalion of Stray Exorcists and two Fallen Angels, we'll draw the attention of the rest of the Supernatural World," Issei explained.

"So we need to go to them directly then?" Irina asked.

Issei nodded. "I'd prefer it if we ask Rias first as I know her better than I do Sitri-Kaichou," he said.

"Alright then, let's go pay the Devil Princess a visit!" Mittelt said, getting up and scooting away from Issei and Gisela. As she moved towards Raynare, a blade was leveled at her throat.

She turned and saw Irina looking at her with cold eyes and holding an O-Katana. Mittelt gulped.

"What do you think you're doing?" Irina asked her.

"I'm helping you! I don't want to cast my lot in with them. If I do, then _she_ will destroy me!" Mittelt said, pointing at Gisela. Irina raised an eyebrow and turned to look at Gisela, who was whistling innocently with her blades behind her back. Irina sighed.

"What do you think Issei?" she asked.

"Let's take her. She could give us more information as to why they want her," Issei said as he began to walk in the direction of Kuoh.

* * *

**ORC Building, 4:50 PM**

* * *

Rias hummed her favorite anime opening as she sorted through several papers.

"Another application for the club… Denied. A letter from Riser… Destroyed. A gift from Riser… Disintegrated," Rias said as she mindlessly went about her work. Akeno sat on one of the couches doing homework alongside Kiba while Koneko and Arata were sitting across from them.

Koneko had returned to Issei's house earlier that morning to get her Dragon Tarts to which Issei shoved a sack in her direction before slamming his front door in her face.

"Mmmmm," Koneko moaned as she savored the sweet taste of the tarts.

"Ara, Koneko-chan, are they really that good?" Akeno said, looking over at Koneko's orgasmic face.

"Yes and no, you can't have one," she said, hugging the bag.

"It can't be that good can it?" Arata said, grabbing a piece and popping it in his mouth. At that very moment, the answer to life was presented to him in the form of a single piece of chocolate. He stared down at the sack Koneko was now guarding fiercely from all the other occupants of the room.

"I must learn how to make these," he said as if he stumbled upon the Holy Grail of Chocolates.

Rias sighed at the antics of her peerage. She looked over at Arata. He was her most recent addition and her newest rook. His time in her peerage was merely a few days old. He was the captain of the Boxing Club and remained undefeated. Arata was also known the school over as the Berserker of Kuoh Academy. Rias gripped her desk. Was her peerage going to be enough to defeat Riser?

As she went through a small mental turmoil, the doors to the ORC burst open, revealing Issei, Gisela, a girl with twin tails, and Raynare who was dragging another girl inside.

"What's going on?" Rias asked, gesturing to Raynare. She turned her gaze over to Irina. "Who's she?"

"Oh, her. This is my childhood friend and best friend, Irina Shidou," Issei said, introducing her.

"I see and her?" Rias said, staring at Mittelt.

"She's a Fallen Angel," Issei said. Rias dropped her pen in shock. There were other Fallen Angels in her territory! Her blue eyes turned upon Raynare, who stared back at her unflinchingly.

"How many?" Rias asked.

"Three, including her," Raynare said.

"And?"

"At least a few hundred stray exorcists from what Mittelt told us," Irina told Rias.

"Hmmm," Rias said, looking down at her paper.

"What do you plan on doing exactly?" she asked them.

"We're going after them. They took a friend of ours," Gisela told her. Rias took off her glasses and looked at them, her hands folded.

"I'm sorry but I can't let you do that. If I do, it will seem like I'm hiring mercenaries against the Grigo-"

"They're traitors!" Raynare said. Rias looked at her with an unreadable look on her face.

"If that were the case, wouldn't your father have already taken car-"

"He doesn't know! They blackmailed me by holding one of my friends. That girl we want back. She's the one they used to blackmail me into coming here. They're here to take you out," Raynare said.

Rias looked down deep in thought. The sun was already setting and they had gotten nowhere since they started this conversation. She needed more information.

"Why do they want the girl apart from her relation to you?" she asked Raynare.

This time, Issei spoke up. "She has the Sacred Gear, Twilight Healing. She showed it to me when we met," Issei said. Rias's eyes widened. Twilight Healing was a rare Sacred Gear that could heal any being. In the wrong hands, it was a dangerous tool, allowing the enemy to heal themselves should they sustain damage.

"So will you help us?" Issei asked.

Rias sighed and hoped her decision wouldn't bite her in the ass later on. "Yes, I will. If only to prevent the Fallen from acquiring the Twilight Healing."

"That's better than nothing," Issei said.

"I assume they're at the town's abandoned church, right?"

"Yes."

"Good. I'll tell you what will happen once we get there. Gremory Peerage, roll out! Hehe, I've always wanted to say that," Rias said, giggling. She noticed everyone looking at her with deadpan stares.

"What!? Transformers was a good franchise!" she said indignantly with her cheeks puffed and stained red.

"Let's just go," Akeno said, creating a magic circle to save the rest of the peerage the embarrassment of having their King's little quirks exposed.

* * *

**Abandoned Church, Kuoh, 7:45 PM**

* * *

A flash of red light lit up the surrounding area as the Gremory Peerage plus Issei's team appeared in the middle of the woods.

"Alright, Fallen, who's there that we need to be wary of?" Rias asked, looking out at the church.

"I have a name! And as for who? Well, Kalawarner and Dohnaseek. Freed Sellzen. He's a psycho priest that Dohnaseek hired along with the other strays. I guess that's it in terms of who you have to worry about. Also, don't underestimate Kalawarner or Dohnaseek. They may only have a pair of wings but they possess hundreds of years of battle experience," Mittelt told them.

Rias nodded thanks at her warning. She turned to Issei and his friends.

"Okay, here's how this will go down. Me and Akeno will sneak around the back to see if we can't try to rescue Asia discreetly. The rest of you storm the front. If you can, buy us time to get her out," Rias said. The others nodded.

"Good. Akeno, on me," Rias said, spreading her wings and taking off deeper into the woods. Akeno looked at them one last time.

"Good luck," she said before following after her king.

"Let's go," Issei said. "You stay here," he said, turning to Mittelt.

"What!? I can fight!" she said.

"I can't run the risk of you turning on us once we reach the doors so you're staying here," Issei said. Summoning white mana to his hand, Issei cast **Captain's Call**, creating three soldiers comprised of wispy white energy. "Guard her," he ordered. The soldiers saluted and surrounded Mittelt, who hopped up onto a tree branch and began to grumble.

The group made their way out of the forest and approached the front doors of the church. They all looked at each other and nodded. Kiba walked up to the front and pushed open the doors. They were immediately on guard when they saw hundreds of figures all kneeling down and praying.

Up at the front was a young man with short white hair and red eyes. He wore clerical clothing and stood over a young man who was strapped down to the altar.

"In the name of _God_, you're going to fucking die for consorting with the devil fucks in this town. Who here agrees that this devil loving shitstain should die!?" the man said with an insane smile on his face.

Every figure in the room voiced their agreement.

"Ya hear that buddy! You've been judged and we judge you guilty!" he said, pulling out a gun and pointing it at the man's temple. The man whimpered in fear before the gun went off, sending skull fragments, blood, and brain matter flying everywhere. Noticing the new arrivals in the room, the man looked over at Issei and the others.

"Well, well, well. If it ain't a couple of devils coming to save one of their own," the man said. All the exorcists turned around simultaneously.

"Freed," Raynare said lowly.

"Ara, ara, ara, ara, ara! If it isn't Ray Ray! You arrived just in time! You're tonight's main event!" Freed said, laughing maniacally. "Get em!" he said as all the exorcists charged at them.

"Here they come," Kiba said, holding out his palm. A sword materialized on the ground and he picked it up.

**[Do you need me for this battle, Partner?]** Ddraig asked.

"_Yeah, if only to maintain our cover and to prevent the devils from finding out_," Issei replied.

**[Dragon Booster]** A crimson gauntlet appeared on Issei's left arm, earning the attention of the other devils.

"You-" Koneko said with her eyes wide in shock.

"No way," Kiba said.

"No time for that. Ask later," Issei said, dodging a swipe from an exorcist. Issei drove his gauntlet covered fist straight into the exorcist's jaw, shattering it and sending him flying into the others.

Irina pulled out the string and transformed it into an O-Katana and began to slash her way through them.

Everyone began to fight their way through the hordes of exorcists before them. Issei deftly evaded a light bullet and bumped into Arata.

"So, Red Dragon Emperor huh?" the boy asked as he dodged a light sword and punched the offender, knocking them out.

"Yeah, you?" Issei said, blocking the attack with a gauntlet. He formed a flaming spear in his right and thrust it into the exorcist's stomach, killing them as they were incinerated from the inside out.

He held up red and white gauntlets with digital counters on each of them. The gauntlets covered his forearms and the number on the counter read 15%.

"It's my Sacred Gear, **Star Breaker**. Every hit on a living organism increases the percentage by 5, increasing the amount of force per punch," Arata said to Issei while dodging another exorcist. This time, Issei raised his palm and a lance of light came out of the ground and vaporized the priest.

"Cool," Issei said.

"On your left!" Issei bent backward, dodging a flying sword whose blade was comprised of a dark substance. The sword impaled a priest in the throat. Yuuto landed next to Issei and Arata.

"Since we're talking about each other's Sacred Gears, I might as well explain mine," Kiba said, slashing another exorcist across the stomach, disemboweling them. "My Sacred Gear is called **Sword Birth**. It allows me to create any weapon my mind can imagine. For example, **{Holy Eraser}**," another sword with a black blade appeared on the ground. Kiba grabbed it and blocked an exorcist's light sword.

The exorcist's eyes widened when the light was being sucked into the sword. Kiba applied more force, winning the deadlock and killed the priest.

"**{Holy Eraser}** negates and "eats" swords with light and holy properties," Kiba said.

"Hmm," Issei said. As he dodged and killed the exorcists, all the hairs on his body stood on end as he quickly raised his arm, producing a white shield deflecting Freed's attack.

"Tch," Freed said as he landed in front of Issei, Arata, and Kiba.

"Issei, we got this. Go," Kiba said, tightening his grip on **{Holy Eraser}**. Issei nodded.

"Gisela is here if you need anything," he said before running off.

Kiba chuckled at Issei's words. "I don't really think she needs us as much as we need her," he said as he looked slightly to his left.

The Archangel was lazily walking through a group of exorcists parrying and countering all the attacks sent her way.

"I thought this would be more fun," Gisela said as she decapitated a priest. Her blue eyes traveled and locked onto Freed. He was considerably stronger than the other priests in this building. Tightening her grip on her twin blades, she disappeared and reappeared in front of Freed.

Kiba and Arata watched with wide eyes as Gisela appeared out of thin air in a burst of speed and grabbed Freed's head. She threw him through the wall of the church. The two blinked as she landed on her feet, a disappointed look adorning her face.

"I thought he could handle it," she said, earning sweatdrops from the two.

Issei ran through the halls of the church and arrived to see Rias and Akeno locked in a battle with Kalawarner, who had several dozen light spears spinning around her.

Kalawarner laughed as the Gremory Heiress and her Queen were backed into a corner. The two had tried to sneak in from the back only to get caught. She formed a light spear and threw it at Akeno, only for the light spear to bounce off a white barrier. She felt a searing pain as well as the loss of feeling in her left hand. She looked down in horror as she saw that her left hand had been severed.

"AAAAHHHHHH!" Kalawarner screamed as she grabbed her handless left arm. She looked to see the boy Raynare had been sent to kill holding a majestic sword that was stained with her blood.

"Where is Asia?" Issei said.

"Wouldn't you like to know," she said.

"She's in the very back by the main altar," Rias said. "We caught a glimpse of her. She's the blond one right."

Issei nodded.

"You have to hurry. The other Fallen is there, extracting her Sacred Gear. If he succeeds, she'll die!"

"Right, let's go," Issei said.

"We'll catch up. We have to take care of this one first," Rias said, forming a black and red ball of energy. Issei nodded and took off in the direction of the main hall.

* * *

Asia struggled against her bonds, her screams muffled by the gag that the Fallen put around her mouth. She had been kept here for a few hours now and was recently strapped to this cross just before the noises started. Her green eyes glared at the fedora-wearing man before her.

The minute the sounds of battle started, Dohnaseek had begun preparing for the Sacred Gear Extraction Ritual. Kalawarner had gone to hold off the Gremory and Sitri Heiresses to buy him enough time.

"Soon, you'll be dead and I'll possess enough power to wipe out the devils of this town," Dohnaseek said with a malicious smile on his face. A scream ripped through the air, causing Dohnaseek to pause for a second.

_Kalawarner_, he thought. _They're getting closer._ The sound of several footsteps was now getting closer to the main cathedral hall.

"Tch! Looks like we'll have to start early," Dohnaseek said, walking towards Asia whose eyes began to grow wide in fear.

Suddenly, the doors burst open revealing Issei and the others.

"Asia!" Irina yelled. Dohnaseek turned and summoned twenty-five light spears, firing it at them.

Issei raised his palm and cast **Sphere of Protection**, deflecting all of the spears. Next, to him, Rias condensed her **Power of Destruction** into a small sphere and fired it off as a beam. The beam collided with a wall of pure light as runes began to glow around the altar. Smirking at their failed efforts, Dohnaseek began to ritual. A small green glow began to come from Asia.

"A barrier," Rias said.

"Gisela," Issei said to her. She nodded and focused white light into her hand. Flicking her wrist slightly, a highly condensed beam of pure light struck the barrier shattering it and traveled to Dohnaseek only for it to collide with a stronger barrier.

"It's too late," the Fallen said as the glow intensified. Asia began to scream in pain as an emerald green sphere of light was being pulled out of her chest.

"Dammnit! Asia!" Issei said, gathering a large amount of white and red mana. "**Warleader's Helix!**" a blue helical bolt of lightning sprung forth from Issei's hands shattering the barrier around Dohnaseek upon impact. The man was forced to shield himself as the force of the barrier-breaking shook the entire church. He turned around to see if the ritual was finished and smiled in victory. In his hands was the girl's Sacred Gear.

He turned to see himself surrounded but kept his smirk as he revealed Asia's Sacred Gear to them. Their eyes widened in horror at the sight.

"HAHAHAHAHA! I win! With this, none of you can stop me now. Any wound I receive I can heal! It's over!" Dohnaseek laughed maniacally.

Issei and Irina stood there with their rage slowly building.

"Issei-san, Irina, Raynare, Gisela-san," the four mentioned turned to see a dying Asia smiling at them. Dohnaseek turned around, surprised to see that the girl was still alive. Dying but alive.

"Asia!" Irina ran over to her and held her. Tears began to fall from Irina's eyes as she watched her friend dying before her.

"Don't be sad… the past few days have been the best days of my entire life. You, Issei, Raynare, and Gisela gave me what I wanted most, Friends," she turned to Issei, "Family."

"Asia," Issei walked over to her and knelt down next to Irina. Raynare and Gisela stood behind them.

"Issei, no, Issei-nii," she said, causing Issei's eyes to go wide. "Thank you fo-"

"No," Issei said. "Don't say that. If you want to thank me, then do it when you're well. Not when you're dying. Listen to me. Do you really want to die here, Asia!?"

Asia was stunned at his words. A small stream of tears began to fall from her eyes. "Y.. yes! YES! I want to keep living. I want to live with my friends!"

"Then live!" Issei said, gripping her hand.

Asia tried, however, she felt herself growing weaker and weaker. It was getting harder to breathe and she felt her consciousness swimming between a state of oblivion and of life.

_No. I want to live. I don't want to die! I have people I want to spend my life with!_ She thought as the images of the past few days flew through her mind. Something inside her triggered. Her renewed intense will to live coupled with her near-death state catalyzed a series of events that would forever change her life. Asia felt something. A flame. A Spark. Her entire world shattered as an infinite stretch of blackness appeared before her.

Everyone was blown away from Asia as she burst into a rapidly expanding sphere of light. Issei covered himself and the others from the energy wave that was currently leveling the entire church. The walls around them crumbled from the force of the blast as the entire area shook lightly.

After the light died down, Issei looked at the place where Asia once laid. A small scorched crater remained with no trace of her anywhere in the surrounding areas.

"So she's one of us," Issei muttered under his breath. Behind him, everyone got to their feet.

"So that's what it feels to be near one when they Ascend," Gisela said as she cracked her neck. Raynare looked at her confused while Irina looked at Issei.

"She's like Issei isn't she?" Irina asked her. Gisela nodded.

"What just happened!?" Rias asked them. "People are not supposed to explode like that!"

"I'll explain later. I need to go track Asia down but first," Issei walked over to a scorched Dohnaseek and planted his foot on the man's chest.

Dohnaseek opened his eyes to see the boy Raynare failed to kill looming over him menacingly.

"You have something I need," Issei said as a brilliant swirl of white light began to coalesce in his left hand. The swirl churned and twisted before taking the shape of a sword. It was the most majestic sword Dohnaseek had ever seen in his entire life.

"Do you want to know what this blade's name is?" Issei asked.

Dohnaseek looked at him confused but nodded.

"It's called Godsend or the Sword of Chaos. It was used by the woman I called my sister to slay a being infinitely more powerful than you. A God. And now, I'm going to use it to make sure you never hurt anyone ever again," Issei said, raising the blade.

Dohnaseek's eyes widened as he tried to think of a way out of this situation. Before he could get any words out, the blade of Godsend was driven through his skull and into the church floor. Dohnaseek's body spasmed for a few seconds before becoming limp. His crimson blood stained the floors of the abandoned church. Issei bent down and grabbed **Twilight Healing**.

He walked over to the others and gave the rings to Irina. "Hold onto these until I get back with her. Gisela, take them back home. I'll be back with her."

The two nodded and Issei prepared to Walk but Rias spoke up, causing him to stop.

"Wait! I still don't understand what's going on! Where is the girl?" she asked.

"As I said earlier, I'll explain everything when I get back with her," Issei said.

Rias narrowed her eyes but nodded. It wasn't the answer she wanted but she had no choice but to comply if she wanted a full explanation as to what happened in the church.

Issei began to focus. During her Ascension, he had gotten a brief feel for how her Spark felt. It felt warm and full of life and kindness. He sensed for a trail and after a few minutes, found one that matched. Locking onto her trail, Issei disappeared in a swirl of brilliant white and gold mist.

* * *

**Unknown Location, Unknown Time**

* * *

Asia's eyes fluttered open to see the full moon. She tiredly got up and took a look around. The woods? Wasn't she in a church? She walked around for a bit and found a dirt path.

"Hmm, this has to lead somewhere," she muttered to herself as she began to follow the dirt trail. As Asia followed the trail, she began to grow apprehensive. Every instinct was telling her to walk as fast as she could. The feeling grew even more when she began to hear wingbeats.

"Well, well, a little human out of their little town," Asia turned to see a demonic being standing behind her. She gulped and took a step back only to trip and fall, landing on her rear.

The demon smiled and licked its lips, looking her over. "Hehe, I think I found a way to pass the time," the demon said, extending its hand to grab her. Asia closed her eyes, expecting the demon to touch her only to feel nothing.

Slowly opening her eyes, Asia saw a curved blade jutting out from the demon's throat. Behind the demon was a woman with light orange hair and warm hazel eyes. She wore silver armor with small wing-like attachments at the rerebrace. On her back were a pair of massive eagle-like wings that were white with gold primary and secondary feathers. She held a heron shaped scythe in her right hand.

"An angel…," Asia said.

The angel looked down at her and extended her hand. Asia reached out to grab it and the angel helped her up.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

"Yes, thank you," Asia said.

"My name is Sigarda. You are?"

"Asia. My name is Asia," she said.

"Okay, Asia, come I'll help you get to the next town," Sigarda said.

"Thank you," Asia said, following her.

* * *

**Review Replies:**

**Khoashex: another great chapter thanks for your work**

**Thanks, I'm glad you liked it.**

**Darkscythe Drake: Will other planeswalkers come visit Earth? The Gatewatch kicking the Khaos Brigade/Hero Faction's asses would be positively euphoric.**

**Hmm, there will be a planeswalker arriving at Issei's house next chapter so yes, they will. **

**Okay, that's the end of this chapter. Yes, Asia is a Planeswalker. I did this because I felt that she needs to be stronger than she is in canon. Also, this is the start of my 2020 presidential campaign to turn Asia Argento into a walking nuke. Haha! So, in the next chapter, the existence of other worlds will be revealed to our little nun and our favorite devil peerage. Remember, review! Also, fav/follow. Have a great day/night or not! The choice is yours~!**


	7. Out of the Frying Pan

**Hey, welcome to the new chapter! As you can remember, our dear little Asia is now a Planeswalker. Can we give her a round of applause! Most of this chapter will be focused on Issei explaining to the Gremory Peerage what he is as A) they were there when Asia "exploded". B) Issei's cat is now out of the bag. Another thing is summoning. Yesterday, was it yesterday? Darkscythe Drake sent me a link to an MTG Fanfiction forum in which people post their ideas and interpretations on card mechanics. I really like one of their ideas and decided to implement it. So instead of pure pre-revisionist summoning, summoning in this fic is a mix of the two. Planeswalkers can summon copies of creatures they have met, so long as the creature isn't a sentient being. Meaning that for sentient beings, Issei or anyone else for the matter, must make a contract/agreement or force them under their control. Another big shoutout to Darkscythe Drake for letting me use his mana test idea. Thank you very much! You are now my MTG Crossover buddy! **

**Without further adieu, I, the Gracious Tanuki, shall do the disclaimer.**

**I don't own Magic: The Gathering or Highschool DxD. If I did, Issei wouldn't be that big a pervert and Rias would be more powerful than she is in canon.**

* * *

**[Ddraig talking]**

_**[Ddraig thinking]**_

_Mental Communication_

"Regular Dialogue"

**Attacks/Spells**

* * *

**Gavony, Innistrad**

* * *

Asia walked alongside Sigarda through the forests of Innistrad. Taking in the natural beauty, Asia had never seen anything like this before. The trees were all a cornucopia of reds, yellows, and oranges. She smiled as a gentle, crisp, autumn breeze swept across her face.

Sigarda looked down at the girl and smiled. The girl's eyes possessed great kindness despite the trauma that swam underneath those emerald orbs of hers.

"Tell me, Asia. Where are you from? I've never heard anyone in Gavony with that kind of name before," Sigarda asked her.

"Gavony?" Asia looked perplexed. She had never heard of a country or place called Gavony before.

"What do you mean by that? Everyone knows the province of Gavony. It is where the center of faith for Church of Avacyn," Sigarda said. Her eyes trailed down and examined Asia's clothing. "From the looks of it, you're a nun. Shouldn't you know about your own faith?"

"Ummm…," Asia began to frantically look around. Anywhere but Sigarda. Noticing that the girl was becoming uncomfortable, Sigarda stopped talking and kept leading her to the nearest settlement she could.

After a few hours of walking, Sigarda could see the high walls of Thraben with the spire of the Church of Avacyn standing proudly at the town center. Angels could be seen circling it. Asia looked on in awe at the sight. Angels. She had never seen so many at once before. When she lived in the Vatican, she had only seen a handful of angels in her seventeen years of life.

Sigarda's eyes widened when she felt a powerful presence at the top of the church. Warm like the sun and powerful like a storm that wanted to consume the world. Avacyn was there.

"Come on," Sigarda said, unfolding her wings and making her presence known. As they crossed the bridge and neared the gates, the guards bowed to her in reverence as she walked past them.

Asia looked on as crowds of people came out of their homes and stores and bowed before Sigarda as she walked down the streets.

"Why are they bowing?" Asia asked. Sigarda looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Umm, I'm an Archangel. It's a bit vexing but people do bow to me despite the many times I try to get them to stop. Eventually, I just gave up," Sigarda replied.

"Oh," Asia turned her gaze forward as the two arrived outside two massive doors. The guards bowed to her and pushed the doors open. Sigarda walked inside and she saw a familiar angel seated on one of the high beams of the cathedral. She had an olive skin tone and long silky black hair. Her warm green eyes looked down on them. A small smile graced her lips.

"Sigarda, and… nun? I'm sorry I've never seen you before. My name is Bruna. And you are?" Bruna asked after introducing herself.

"A-Asia. My name is Asia," Asia said. Bruna smiled before patting Asia's head. The blonde pouted at her actions and swatted her hand away, causing Bruna to laugh.

The small moment was interrupted by guards bursting through the door. The two Archangels turned their gazes on them.

"Miladies. We have bad news. Sorin Markov was spotted crossing the bridge to the gates!"

"What!?" Mikaeus exclaimed. He had just walked into the rectory to prepare for mass.

"Do you want us to-!" the guard was interrupted by a serene, ethereal voice.

"Let him in," they looked up and saw a woman, dressed in a black battle dress. She had black pauldrons on her shoulders with matching vambraces on her arms. Her skin was extremely pale. Her long flowing hair was as white as snow and her silver eyes shone like the moon and pulsed with raw, unparalleled power. On her back were large snow-white eagle wings.

Asia couldn't help but be awestruck by the being before her. It was as if God crafted her from the finest materials ever created.

"My lady Avacyn!" the guards and Mikaeus all prostrated themselves in front of her. Sigarda and Bruna knelt in reverence to the Archangel.

Avacyn's silver eyes looked down on Asia, who squeaked before kneeling down. Avacyn floated and landed in front of her.

"Another one of you…so that's why he's here," she muttered after looking at Asia.

The doors opened revealing a man. His skin was ashen gray and his eyes were black all for his golden iris which glinted with wisdom and power. His hair was as white as Avacyn's. He was dressed in a jet black long coat with a black undershirt. Over it was a silver breastplate with a blood-red gem embedded into the center. The man's clothing was also decorated in various pieces of silver armor.

Avacyn walked up to the man. "Father," she said, smiling at him.

"Hello my daughter," the man said. The man's eyes trailed down to Asia, who had jumped and hid behind Avacyn.

"Picking up wayward Planeswalkers now I see," the man said.

Sigarda and Bruna's eyes widened at his words. Avacyn rolled her eyes before pushing Asia forward. The girl stood before the man quaking out of fear.

"Be calm, young one. I am Sorin Markov. I am a Vampire," he said.

Asia paled. _Oh, dear Lord and Mother Mary! Will he drink my blood!? Wait, FATHER!?_ She thought.

Avacyn seeing the girl's fear, walked over and smacked the back of Sorin's head.

"Ow! That's elder abuse!" he said.

"Quiet, you hedonistic father of mine. Explain to the poor girl what she is," Avacyn said.

"Very well," Sorin said, reassuming his regal stance. "What's your name again?"

Avacyn slapped her face in embarrassment. Ever since Sorin had decided to become more fatherly as he put it a few hundred years ago, the vampire had seemingly become more senile. Yes, senile was what Avacyn could describe him as.

"A- A- Asia! Asia Argento!" Asia squeaked out.

"Hmm, well. Asia, you and I are the same," he said. Asia looked at him confused.

"Um, Mr. Markov, I'm not a vampire. Or at least, I don't think I am," she said.

"No, not that. Tell me. Does any of this or any of these angels look familiar to you?" Sorin asked. Asia blinked and for the first time, examined her surroundings in deep detail. She was in a church or so she was told. But there were no crucifixes or religious paraphernalia belonging to the Christian Pantheon. Was she in a Pagan church? And the angels, she did not recognize any angel going by the names of Avacyn, Bruna, or Sigarda. Where was she?

"I see that you cannot recognize anything. That is because you are no longer in your world," Sorin said. Asia's face shattered at his words.

"Wh- you're lying! I can't- I c-" Asia froze and her mind recalled Issei's tales of a town named Innistrad. A church dedicated to a being named Avacyn.

"I'm in Innistrad, aren't I?" her words caused Sorin to look at her in confusion.

"Y- Yes. How do you know that?" for the first time in his thousands of years of life, Sorin was confused as to how the girl could possibly know.

"Issei told me," Asia said. "But he said it was a town in Europe!"

"The boy is becoming good at disguising the truth much like that dragon. Girl, Innistrad is not a town. Innistrad is the name of a plane of existence," Sorin said.

"But how did I even get here!?" she asked, flailing her arms.

"The how is simple. You are a being known as a Planeswalker. Someone who can traverse the Blind Eternities or the Void and access other worlds or planes of existence. You have what is known as a Spark. Something that can only be accessed by one in a million individuals. Usually, through a near-death experience, extreme mental or physical trauma, or a world-shattering realization," Sorin said. He began to walk and gestured for her to follow. "Come walk with me."

Asia hastily followed after him as they walked the halls of the Grand Thraben Cathedral.

"So if I really am what you say I am, that means that I can go back right?" she asked.

"Hmmm, yes, you can but preparing for one's first conscious Walk usually takes several months to a year of physical and mental preparation once one realizes what they are," Sorin said. Asia looked frantic. She didn't want to be stuck here for a year.

Sorin noticing her panic sighed. "We might as well get some headway," he said, sensing a very familiar Spark signature enter Innistrad. Sorin opened his palm and a swirl of black and white mist churned and coalesced into five rings.

Asia looked curiously at the rings. "What are those for?"

"You are a Planeswalker now and as such, we need to see what color you are aligned with," Sorin said.

"Color?" Asia tilted her head slightly to the side in confusion.

"Yes, every being in the Multiverse is attuned to a color or colors. There are six though most people wouldn't count the sixth one as a color. Red, Blue, Green, White, Black, and Colorless. Each one is based on a belief, core principle. There is no such thing as an evil color. For example, Black may represent selfishness and power, however, that does not necessarily mean they are evil. A Black aligned might be selfish for reasons such as wishing to save their family," Sorin explained. "These rings react to a color of mana and will glow when put on if the user corresponds to that color. Here put one on each finger."

Asia nodded and slipped the rings on. A glow was immediately seen on two of them. Sorin raised an eyebrow in interest. "The Ring of Kalonia and the Ring of Thune reacted. That means that your alignments are White and Green. Very interesting. I would have guessed Red or Black in there due to the trauma you hide in your eyes," Sorin mused.

Asia looked down. Was she so obvious?

"Trauma is a driving factor for most Planeswalkers. A few awaken for other reasons but most go through a trauma of some sort," Sorin said, looking out the window. The spark signature had just entered Thraben and was making their way to the Cathedral.

"Hmm, while you're here, I might as well teach you an elementary healing spell," Sorin said. Sorin pulled his sword out and slashed his right palm. Asia's eyes widened and immediately placed her hands above Sorin's palm, expecting the green light of Twilight Healing to appear. She blinked, remembering Twilight Healing had been taken from her.

"What are you doing?" Sorin asked.

"I was trying to heal you," she said, sheepishly.

"Without the spell? You know what nevermind that. The spell I'm about to teach you is called **Healing Salve**. Sorin channeled white mana into his left palm. A slight whitish-yellow glow emanated from his left palm and trails of light began to stitch the wound back together.

Asia's eyes sparkled in amazement at the spell. "Now, in order to cast a spell, you need to channel white mana from a mana nexus. Mana nexus or leylines are usually located in five locations. Red is located in the mountains. Blue Islands. Green Forests. White is in Plains. Black is in Swamps. Since, you don't have any connections as of right now, take this," Sorin said, handing her a ring and a lantern.

"What does this ring do?" Asia asked, slipping it onto her ring finger.

"That is known as the **Sol Ring**. It passively draws upon mana and stores it. The lantern is known as a Chromatic Lantern. This one is nearly empty as it hasn't been charged with mana in a while but it should have enough white mana for you to draw upon," Sorin said. "To draw on mana, you must pull at it. Since this is your first time, you must use your strongest feelings. Your most powerful beliefs and values. What do you feel when you think of them? Grab on to that feeling and use it to pull at the white mana inside," Sorin said.

Asia nodded and focused on the lantern. Her eyebrows furrowed in concentration as she tried to tug at the small wisp of white mana swirling inside the lantern.

Sorin sighed. _This is going to take a while. Wait, Ugin said that it took the boy a few days to learn his first spell. If I can get this girl to learn in less than a day, hehehe, _Sorin thought as he watched Asia.

* * *

Issei burst through the cathedral doors and saw Avacyn seated in one of the pews, reading. He spotted Bruna napping on one of the high beams of the Church and Sigarda at the altar with Mikaeus. They must have been preparing for their next service.

As if she sensed his presence, Avacyn spoke up. "You took your sweet time getting here. Father has been expecting you."

"Where is Sorin? I need his help. A recently awakened Planeswalker arrived here in Innistrad not too long ago," Issei said.

"Father is taking a walk wi-"

"Ah, perfect timing boy," Issei snapped his head and saw Sorin Markov entering the rectory. Behind him was a familiar blonde nun. Her eyes lit up upon seeing him.

"Issei-sa-!" Asia was cut off as Issei engulfed her in a tight hug. Asia wrapped her slender arms around him and hugged back. She started to find it hard to breathe as Issei tightened his hug.

"I.. can't… breaaaattthhhheee!" she choked out.

"Issei, the girl can't breathe," Sorin said. Issei blinked and let the girl go. Asia inhaled large amounts of air, praising God at the same time.

She looked up and saw Issei looking at her worried.

"Asia, are you hurt?" Issei said, frantically checking her over.

"Issei-san, I-"

"Did anyone touch you!? Tell me who did it and I'll go shove Godsend up their ass and parade them around Thraben!" Issei said, lifting her arm and pulling her sleeve back.

"NII-SAN!" Issei froze at her words.

"I'm okay," Asia said with a slight pouty glare. Issei nodded and turned to Sorin.

"I'm guessing from the way she referred to you that this girl is your younger sister?" he asked.

Issei nodded.

"Hmm, planeswalker siblings are rare. The last pair are two dragons you're well-acquainted with," Sorin said. "Well then, I believe you should be heading back. Teach her how to Walk there as I have to go to Zendikar to check on something. Oh and Issei, don't keep Gisela away for too long."

Issei nodded at the vampire lord's words. Sorin looked at Issei and then to Avacyn. "Keep an eye on things while I'm gone."

"Of course father," she said. Sorin nodded before disappearing in an imploding vortex of black energy.

"I guess it's time for us to go home," Issei said.

"How do I get back?" Asia asked him. Issei smiled.

"All you have to do is visualize and concentrate hard on where you want to go. Be it the description of the place or memory," Issei said.

Asia followed his instructions and began to picture the Hyoudou House. Its white walls, the soft carpet, the Ikea brand beds and couches, the one plank at the front door that always creaked, yes she had memorized every detail of her new home. When Asia opened her eyes, small orbs of gold and green light were encircling her.

"Asia! Come visit sometime," Asia turned and saw Sigarda waving at her. Asia beamed at her while nodding before the rest of her body dissolved into green and gold orbs.

"Issei has his work cut out for him," Avacyn said as she disappeared in a flash of golden light, leaving the other two Archangels behind.

* * *

**Hyoudou House, Kuoh, 11:55 PM**

* * *

Issei and Asia materialized outside the Hyoudou House. Asia immediately ran over to the bushes and began emptying the contents of her stomach into the bushes. Issei walked over to her and rubbed her back, sending pulses of white mana to soothe her discomfort.

"You… never told me that this was going to make me… puk- blegh!" Asia emptied the rest of her stomach onto Issei's lawn.

_On the plus side, free fertilizer_, Issei thought.

"The first conscious Walk is always the worst. Sadly, we can't spend months on Innistrad mentally and physically preparing you. Sorry about that," Issei said. Asia just looked at him with a dead stare.

"Let's go inside," Issei said, opening the door. As soon as he opened the door slightly, he sensed two foreign presences in his home along with the Gremory Peerage, Gisela, Irina, Raynare, and Mittelt.

_Sparks? Planeswalkers!_ Issei immediately summoned Godsend. "Asia, stay behind me!"

Asia nodded and got behind Issei. Issei crept into the house and immediately leaped out from the corner and pointed Godsend at the intruders. His eyes widened at who they were. There sitting on his couch was Ajani. His double-headed ax was leaning against the wall.

Next to him was a red-haired woman wearing a red armored battle dress and silver chainmail. Her eyes were orange like the sunset. On her right arm was a large gauntlet that had pipes connecting to her arm.

"Hey kid," she waved.

"Hey, Chandra," Issei waved back.

"No greetings for me, cub?" Ajani said, smiling a feline smile.

"Hey, old man," Issei greeted, clasping Ajani's forearm as Ajani did with his.

Issei released his arm and began to converse with them. "What are you two doing here?" he asked.

"I'm here to visit you, cub. I came to see how you're dealing with everything," Ajani said.

"I just followed the old man," Chandra said. Issei heard a coughing noise and saw Rias looking at him expectantly. He sighed. This was going to take a while to explain to her.

"Right, I might as well introduce everyone," Issei said. "This is Gisela. You know her as one of-"

"Innistrad's famous Angel Sisters," Chandra finished. Issei nodded.

"Umm, this is Raynare, she's learning magic under me and Gisela," Issei said, gesturing to the raven-haired girl. Raynare bowed respectfully.

Issei gestured Asia to come forward. Ajani and Chandra's eyes widened slightly when they felt her signature. "A Planeswalker?" Chandra said.

"And a recently awakened one from the looks of it," Ajani said, inspecting the girl.

"This is Asia. I'll be teaching her how to be a Planeswalker from this day forth," Issei said proudly.

"I see," Ajani said.

"And this is Irina Shidou. She's my best friend," Issei said. Irina walked up next to him and waved at the two. Chandra smirked while Ajani waved back respectfully.

"It's nice to meet you two. Issei has told me stories," Irina said.

"All good I hope," Chandra replied, looking over at Issei.

"He said that you stole from Ugin," Irina told her.

"Really kid," Chandra said.

"What? It's true!" Issei said. Chandra sighed. "Who are these?"

"Those guys are devils," Issei said nonchalantly.

"Really?" Chandra's hair ignited and her eyes began to glow a flaming orange. Ajani placed a hand on her shoulder calming her down.

"Calm yourself. We don't know if they're like the Devils on other realms," Ajani said.

Chandra sighed and her hair returned to normal. "Do they know that you're a Planeswalker?"

"They found out after she Ascended," Issei said. "Irina and Raynare knew because I told them."

"I'm Rias Gremory. One of the two supervising Devils of this town. Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Chandra-san," Rias said, extending her hand.

"Yeah, nice to meetcha," Chandra said, shaking her hand.

"That's Rias's Queen, Akeno," Akeno bowed when her name was called.

"That's her Knight, Yuuto," Yuuto nodded when Issei said his name.

"That's one of her Rooks, Arata," Arata did a finger salute.

"And that's her other Rook, Koneko," Issei watched as Ajani looked down at the girl.

"You're a lion man," she said.

"That I am. You're a catgirl," he replied. Koneko's eyes widened slightly before nodding.

"Look kid, I gotta go. It was nice seeing you again but I just came because I ran into the old man," Chandra said.

"Yeah, please don't Walk inside my house," Issei said. Chandra rolled her eyes and Issei lead her to the sliding glass door. Chandra walked out into Issei's backyard.

"I'll see ya around kid," she said as her entire body exploded in a conflagration of orange and red flames that scorched the grass around her.

"What about you old man?" Issei asked.

"I'm going to stay for a bit longer. We do need to catch up after all," he said.

"It's been a few weeks," Issei said.

"Enough time to share a tale or two," Ajani said, walking back inside.

"Right, I still have to explain to them what just happened. Wait, how did you get inside my house anyway?" Issei asked.

"Ah, your friend, Irina, let me in after I explained who I was," Ajani told him.

"Oh," was Issei's brilliant response.

When the two walked inside, Rias and her peerage were sitting there looking at him expectantly.

"Well, you promised answers. What happened back in the church? Asia exploded yet here she is. And a lion-man appears out of nowhere. Literally nowhere in front of us alongside that woman, who by the way just combusted!" Rias said.

"Alright, but it will take a while to explain," Issei said.

"It's okay. I have all night," she said, causing Issei to groan.

"Okay so basically…" Issei went on to explain the existence of different worlds. How there were beings that could access them called Planeswalkers. Issei recounted some of his adventures to them from his time in Ravnica to Theros.

"So wait, you're adoptive older sister killed a God with a sword?" Yuuto asked.

"Well, not a normal sword. This sword was forged by one of the Gods there," he said, summoning Godsend. "It's not a Holy Sword by this world's standards as concepts such as holy don't really mean much on Theros."

"I see," Yuuto said. Issei watched what he thought was hatred die down in Yuuto's eyes. He filed it away for later.

"So, can anyone be a Planeswalker?" Rias asked with her stars in her eyes. Dimension hopping. Fighting interdimensional villains and monsters. It sounded like it came out of an anime.

Ajani shook his head. "I'm afraid it's all by chance. One in a million and that individual must have something extremely traumatic happen to them."

"I see," Rias said upon hearing his words.

"Our life isn't one you want," Issei said. "A Planeswalker has a certain responsibility to the world they come from. Some choose to follow it. Some choose not to. I chose not to for a while but I came back. I still had people here." He looked at Irina, who smiled.

"Well then, this has been enlightening but we must leave," Rias said, processing this new information.

"Wait. You can't tell anyone. Not even the Devil Leaders," Issei said.

Rias raised an eyebrow at his statement. "Why not?" she said.

"I want to live normally here for as long as I can. Your leaders knowing what I am will put a hamper in that. And it will attract unwanted attention. Both on this world and others," Issei said in a grave tone.

Rias nodded at his words. "Very well. You have my word. Come let's go," she said to her peerage. Rias formed a massive magic circle and disappeared.

"What an interesting form of magic," Ajani said.

"Yeah, I might think about some of this world's magic while I'm here," Issei said.

"Well cub. I have to go. I have some business on Ravnica that I must attend to," Ajani said.

"Thanks for dropping by," Issei said.

"I did not fall but thank you," Ajani responded.

"Wha- No it means, you know what never mind. Thanks for coming," Issei said. Ajani nodded before disappearing in a swirling golden storm.

"Look, let's get some rest, Asia, everyone. I'll explain everything in detail tomorrow," Issei said. The four girls nodded while Gisela had already left and gone to sleep.

* * *

**Kuoh Town, September 16, 2019, 8:35 AM**

* * *

Asia stood nervously outside of Class 2-B with Irina. Rias had pulled some strings and had gotten them enrolled in Kuoh at Issei's request. In return, Rias had made Issei promise to help her with something once the time came. Her last name had also been changed from Argento to Hyoudou to ease the transition. She was now Issei's adopted sister but no one else knew that. Her cover story was that she was adopted by Issei's European relatives and she had arrived here late to Kuoh.

Irina's backstory was more truthful than Asia's. She was simply returning back to Japan after she had started her second year of school in the UK.

Irina turned and took note of Asia's nervous expression. The girl had never been to a school before. Everything she had ever learned was either through her sharing her academic material or the nuns and priests.

"You can come in now," the teacher said as she opened the door.

Asia steeled herself and walked in alongside Irina. The two stood at the front as the class began to whisper at the sight of them.

"_Two girls! Score!"_

"_Why is Hyoudou glaring at us?"_

"_The orange one looks familiar."_

"_Helloooooo."_

Issei glared at Ryuuji, who was looking at Irina and Asia with lust everpresent in his eyes. A hand snapped him out of his angered state and Issei saw Murayama and Raynare looking at him and shaking their heads as if saying "don't".

"Alright, introduce yourselves," the teacher said. Irina stepped forward and wrote her name on the board. She turned around and bowed in front of the class.

"Hello, my name is Shidou Irina. I'll be your classmate from now on. Please take care of me," Irina said.

Matsuda, Motohama, Murayama, and Katase's eyes all widened simultaneously. Irina was back? Why didn't she contact them? They turned to Issei, who wasn't surprised and honestly, they weren't surprised that he wasn't. The two were inseparable as children and that still seemed to be the case, even now.

"Alright, next."

Asia gulped and wrote her name on the board. She then turned and bowed nervously.

"M- my name i- is A- Asia Hyoudou. P- Please take care of me," she said, stuttering.

"EHHHHHHHHH!?" the entire class was floored. Her last name was Hyoudou!? Issei had a sister!? The Kendo Duo and the Perverted Duo all turned their heads rapidly in Issei's direction. Issei looked at them and smiled, before turning his attention back to Asia.

A student immediately raised their hand.

"Yes," the teacher said, calling on her.

"I'm Kiryuu Aika. And what is your relationship to Hyoudou?" she asked.

"Eh? Issei-nii is my adoptive brother. I was an orphan who was adopted while Issei was in Europe," Asia said. Aika nodded, seemingly satisfied by her answer.

"Anyone else. Yes, Ryuuji?" the teacher said.

"Question for Shidou-san. Are you single?" he said, showing off a set of white teeth. Irina's nose scrunched up in disgust.

_A playboy. Disgusting_, she thought.

"Yes, however, I know what you're trying to do and my answer is no," Irina said. Ryuuji's smile quickly vanished and he looked at her with a slight look of shock on his face. She was the second girl to reject him. What the hell!? That was not supposed to happen. All the girls in their year threw themselves at one of three people: him, Arata, or Kiba.

"A- Are you-"

"Yeah. I am," Irina said flatly.

"Alright that's enough!" the teacher said. "Shidou-san. Hyoudou-san. There are two seats in the back, you can take them."

The two nodded and made their way to the back of the class. The seats mentioned by the teacher were directly behind Murayama and Issei. Asia decided to sit behind the brunette girl while Irina sat behind Issei. She tapped his back, causing him to turn around and flash her a smile. Irina smiled back and the two turned their attention to the teacher.

The bell rang signaling that it was lunchtime. Issei looked and saw the Perverted Duo's and the Kendo Girls' expressions and sighed.

"Let's talk this out in the club room okay?" Issei said. The four nodded and stood up along with Issei. Irina, Asia, and Raynare followed the five to the Literature Club Room. As soon as they got inside, the eight sat down at a large table and Issei began to recount the events. He left out any incidents involving Planeswalking as he felt they weren't ready just yet.

"So, Irina, you were excommunicated for standing up for your friend who healed someone she didn't know was a devil? That's such complete bullshit!" Katase yelled.

"I agree," Matsuda said.

"So, you just spontaneously decided to adopt the nun Issei?" Motohama asked him.

"Yeah, I did. She reminded me of myself after I lost my parents. We were both lost and alone until someone found us," he said. "Hmmm, we have time before class starts. We might as well find out what your actual affinities are," Issei said. Mana gathered in his hand before dispersing, revealing a silver chrome lantern. It had five windows in it, each a different corresponding color of mana.

"Okay, this should work. I did refill this while I was away so if should be full," Issei said. "Then again, I don't have to refill it often as it passively absorbs mana from the nearest leyline. Alright! I need each of you, except for Raynare to come forward and put your hands in front of the lantern. After that, I will need you to try and draw mana out. The colors that glow will then be your corresponding color," Issei said. "I already know Asia's because a friend of mine came over and tested her for her colors yesterday. So, who's first? And remember, in order to do this, you have to draw upon your most powerful core feeling. Your ideals. Your ambitions when you touch the lantern. You'll feel something come over you when you do and the lantern will respond," Issei said. Murayama opted to go first. Murayama was centered around Red with no secondary affinity. Matsuda was blue. Motohama was white, believe it or not, and Katase was Green and Black.

"Okay, Rin," Issei said, holding out the lantern.

"I don't know Issei," Irina said.

"Just try it. You don't have to learn. It's just for future reference," Issei said. Irina took the lantern from Issei's hand and began to remember what Issei had said.

_Okay. My most powerful core beliefs and feelings. Easy,_ Irina scrunched her eyebrows in concentration. At first, she felt nothing. Maybe she wasn't magically attuned. No that wasn't right. Issei said that everyone had an attunement to Mana even if they weren't mages.

Suddenly, Irina felt the feeling of cool refreshing sea water wash over her. It felt nice and soothing. Her mind began to swim across the water and suddenly felt the warmth of the sun across her face. She opened her eyes when she felt the sensation leave her. She focused what she felt into the lantern and it began to glow.

"Huh. Blue and White. I expected the White but I never pegged you to have Blue as your color," Issei mused.

"What does Blue mea-"

"It basically means your smart," Motohama said.

Irina's bangs shadowed her face. She walked over to Issei and grabbed his collar, pulling him close to her face giving him a full view of her dull eyes.

"Are you calling me retarded Issei?" Irina growled.

"No, no, no! Blue doesn't necessarily mean your smart! It means more than that like being a perfectionist!" Issei said in an attempt to calm her down.

Irina let Issei go, somewhat satisfied by the answer. "I changed my mind. Give me all the books associated with the color blue."

"Later, we have five minutes until class starts," Issei said. As soon as the words came out of Issei's mouth, the eight rushed back to the classroom.

Unbeknownst to them, they had been trailed. Ryuuji stepped out from the corner, contemplating everything he had just heard. Magic. Devils. Angels. They must have been doing some hardcore drugs because those weren't real. But then how could he explain the flashes of light in the room? Whatever the hell was going on, he was going to find out.

* * *

**Occult Research Clubroom, Same Time**

* * *

Rias sat at her desk going over paperwork with Akeno. The revelation of four dimension hoppers, two of which lived here was the most amazing thing for her. Imagine all the stories she could listen to. She could probably turn their entire adventure into a light novel and live off the earnings rather than rely on her parents.

A magic circle appeared on her desk with a symbol she was all too familiar with. Growling, Rias grabbed the note that appeared. Her eyes widened in horror.

"Buchou, what's wrong?" Akeno asked as she looked up from her stack of papers.

"It's been moved up," she said, as her power began to eat away at the edges of the paper. Akeno walked over and took the note from her. Her violet eyes widened when she read it.

_My dear Rias. I can't wait to be your husband. I managed to convince the Elders to move the date! I'll be there tomorrow to talk to you.~_

_Riser Phenex_

* * *

**Review Replies**

**look2019: I liked the chapter.**

**Thanks. I hope you keep reading this all the way through.**

**Sierra118: Insert the Bolas! Nice fanfic. Use some 'villains' from MtG for some struggles. I don't think anything in Dxd Has the power to stand up to 1 or more planeswalker.**

**I will, just not now. And Oldwalkers in their primes can stomp most DxD characters. Now they have to connive and plan like Bolas did when he massacred Amonkhet. He had to eliminate the support the Gods had from their people before he destroyed them and corrupted the plane. Neo-walkers actually have to have some power and skill.**

**Kamencolin: Was the title a three day Grace reference**

**After listening to In My Time of Dying, I guess it was. Hey, thanks for that. I've been listening to Three Days Grace now when writing up my chapters for both my stories.**

**Just a Bad Writer For Fun: Nice**

**69... Thanks, best buddy!**

**Ragnarshadow: Asia know gisela family , if sorin had alarm when a walker goes to innistrad asia would have a surprise when she knows the vampire who create an angel.**

**Walker visit issei house? jace because issei buy a lot of dragon tarts and jace is curious about? Ajani is possible but how explain to the people if anybody see him?**

**Actually, I wanted Chandra and Ajani to visit. Ajani was just a way to solidify and blow Issei's cover even more. Planeswalkers seem to be able to track and sense other awakened walkers like when Jace tracked Chandra across several planes and when Garurk tracked Liliana.**

* * *

**Okay, that's the end of the chapter. I don't have much more to say other than the fact that te Riser Arc will begin next week. If you must know, Ryuuji is the wielder of one of Vritra's Sacred Gears. Saji still exists. He just won't appear yet. Remember, review/fav/follow. Have a great day/night or not! The choice is yours!**


	8. And Into The Fire

**Hello and welcome to another installment of Til Midni- I mean Beyond the Gap. I just wanna say that the Riser Arc won't be very long. It'll be short compared to the upcoming arcs. I guess that's it... for now.**

**I don't own Magic the Gathering or Highschool DxD.**

* * *

**[Ddraig talking]**

_**[Ddraig thinking]**_

_Mental Communication_

"Regular Dialogue"

**Attacks/Spells**

* * *

**Kuoh Academy, September 16, 2019, 4:30 PM**

* * *

Asia sat down in her chair, reading through a spell tome Issei had given her. The others had things to do. The Perverted Duo went to buy a new eroge and the Kendo Duo had practice. Raynare was off training with Gisela while Issei and Irina were arranging books across from her.

Irina looked at Asia as she was intently reading a book on healing spells. As she looked at the book, Irina remembered something.

"Ne, Asia?" she said.

The girl looked up from her book and stared at her curiously, her head tilted slightly to the right.

"Yes?"

"Do you want **「****Twilight Healing****」** back?" Irina asked.

Asia blinked. She had forgotten all about the Sacred Gear what with her Ascension and all that. Asia began to think. Did she want her Sacred Gear back? Technically, she didn't even need it anymore. The book she read had highlighted several extremely powerful healing spells that were on par with her Sacred Gear as well as spells that surpassed her Gear in terms of healing. **「****Twilight Healing****」**could heal many things but sickness and death weren't one of them. However, if she didn't take it back, it would feel as if she cast away that part of herself. With that thought in mind, Asia made her decision.

"Yes," she said.

"I guess we'll have to go ask the Gremory Group then to help put the gear back in," Issei said as he finished putting up the last book on the shelf.

"Can't you put the Sacred Gear back?" Irina asked him.

"I don't know. I've never done it before. It's better to be safe and ask someone who has more experience with Sacred Gears than I do," Issei said.

"We could do it right now. Maybe they're not busy," Irina said.

"Might as well," Issei replied, getting up and walking over to the door.

"Lead the way, fearless leader," Irina joked as she and Asia walked behind him.

Issei smiled a little at her jab and the three made their way to the ORC building. As they walked, Issei noticed a presence following them. It was neither Devil nor Fallen. It was… human?

"Guys, we're being followed," Issei said. The two narrowed their eyes at his words and nodded. The trio picked up their pace and began to turn corners before eventually splitting up.

Ryuuji came out from behind the corner, scratching his head. How the hell was he supposed to find out what was happening if the three split? Perhaps he should just follow one of them. The twin-tailed one? No. She looked as if she could split him in half and he certainly couldn't follow Issei so that left…

"I guess the sister will have to do," Ryuuji said as he took off down the path Asia took.

Asia ran as fast as she could down the pathway. She opened the door leading out of the school and ran over upon seeing Issei and Irina waiting for her. Some time while she was walking, she sensed someone following her and began to walk faster. As the presence got closer, Asia reacted on instinct and ran. She ran like death was biting at her heels.

Issei and Irina noticed that Asia was slightly winded. "You okay?" they asked.

"Yeah, had… to run," she said.

Issei nodded. "Let's go before whoever is following us catches up," he said and the three walked to the Old School Building.

As they entered, they noticed Rias and the rest of her peerage hunched over. The stench of depression permeated the air as the three noticed a significant drop in morale. Akeno was mindlessly looking at papers while Kiba was sharpening his blade as if in anticipation of something. Arata sat in a chair with his arms crossed and his eyes closed while Koneko sat next to him, for once not inhaling the entire sack of Dragon Tarts. The one who looked the most defeated was Rias herself. She just sat there looking at her desk. Her eyes were devoid of hope and she had a dead look in them. Issei knocked on the wall, catching their attention.

"Um, hey, Rias. Is everything alright?" Issei asked.

Rias looked up and gave him her best smile, though one could easily tell that it was fake. There was no light in her eyes.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm sorry what did you need?" she asked.

"Um, could you help us put Asia's Sacred Gear back?" Irina asked her, completely unnerved by the normally happy devil's look.

"Oh, perhaps we can set up a time to do it later? Or perhaps ask Sona. I'm sorry, it's just that I'm expecting some company," Rias said to them.

"Oh, is it family?" Asia asked her.

"Er,... no. It's my… fiance. Though not by choice," Rias told them.

"Ah, an arranged marriage then," Issei said. He had seen too many of those on Innistrad and Kamigawa. Theros did them too though not as often as they had more pressing matters that involved the godly kind.

"Oh, when is he coming?" Irina asked her.

"Um, he'll be here wi-"

A flash of orange and red light interrupted them. Two circles appeared within the room. One was an orange magic circle that was bilayered, each one rotating counter to the other. Both circles were decorated with glyphs. In the middle of the circles, was a symbol that resembled that of a flaming bird. A phoenix.

The second circle was a circle with intricate profane glyphs surrounding in. The circle was as red as blood and spun lazily. It crackled with power. At its center was a symbol that vaguely resembled a horned being with a crown and wings.

"They're here," Rias said as two people appeared from the circles. The first was a man. He was fairly handsome with blonde hair and blue eyes. He wore a burgundy open blazer with matching pants and dress shoes. Underneath was an open dress shirt that wasn't completely buttoned all the way. All in all, the closest thing Issei could compare him to was a member of the Mafia or the Yakuza.

The second figure was a woman. She was extremely beautiful and if the three had to guess, she was in her early twenties. She had back-length silver hair ending in two braids with ribbons at the end. Framing the sides of her face were her bangs which were also braided. She had silver eyes and wore a blue and white maid outfit.

"Hmph, the Human World. So bland. I never understood why you came here my dear Rias," the man said, looking around.

"I'm not your dear Riser," Rias growled.

"Come now. Don't be so… stressed. It gives your wrinkles," Riser said.

"What do you want?"

"I'm here for you of course. We are to be wed after all," he said, a cocky grin making its way onto his face.

"For the last time, I'm not marrying you!"

"But it is for the good of our race, Rias!"

The two began to bicker and argue. Their auras were beginning to manifest and the room began to shake lightly. Everyone, except for Issei and Grayfia, had to struggle to maintain their balance as the shaking got more intense. Their argument was suddenly interrupted by a voice.

"So can we come back later?" Issei asked, snapping the two out of their argument.

"Oh," Rias had completely forgotten about Issei being there. "Sure, come by later."

"Boy, can you not see that your superiors are talking? Servants like you should know to keep their mouths shut," Riser said as he looked at Issei with disgust. Issei raised and eyebrow and Rias moved in to possibly save Riser's life, no matter how much she didn't want to.

"He's not a servant! He's the town's local mage. We made a pact with him when Sona and I moved in. Don't mind him," she said.

"Oh, I see. Allow me to introduce myself then, _human_. I am Riser Phenex of the Phenex Clan. Rias's Fiance," he said.

Issei suddenly gasped. His eyes widened as he ran up to Riser.

"Oh my gosh! You're _the_ Riser Phenex?" he asked, earning him looks of confusion from everyone in the room. Irina's eyes widened at what he was trying to do.

"Goddamn bastard," she muttered, catching Koneko, Asia, and Arata's attention.

"What's going on?" the boxer asked.

"We made a bet to see if we could get that yakitori to say three words and Issei is trying to make him do it," she said. The four turned their gaze back to Issei who was currently kissing Riser's ass and the blonde devil was basking in the praise. His ego inflated to a size larger than that of all of Dominaria as Issei continued to lavish him in compliments about his looks, his power, and his clan's prestige.

"Hey, can I ask you something?" Issei asked.

"Of course! I shall allow it," he said.

"Can you say three words for me?"

"Oh? And what are these three words?"

"You have to say them in a certain way. Can you do a Southern accent?" Issei asked.

"Of course, accents are trivial to the Great Riser Phenex!" Riser boasted proudly.

"Great! Can you say 'It's finger-lickin good!'?" Issei asked.

Everyone in the room began to try their hardest not to laugh after hearing Issei's question. Even Grayfia had a small smile grace her normally stoic face.

"Of course! It's finger-lickin good!" Riser said. Issei smiled and walked back to Irina. He held his hand out and the girl grumbled, pulling 100 yen out of her pocket and put it in Issei's palm.

"Told you I could get him to say it," he said.

Rias started to laugh hysterically at what just happened, followed by everyone else except for Grayfia. Riser grew confused. Why were they laughing?

"What's so funny?" he asked.

"N- Nothing KFC, nothing," Issei said, wiping a tear from his eye.

"What did you just call me?" Riser said.

"I called you. Kentucky. Fried. Chicken," Issei said, enunciating each word in the acronym for KFC.

"How dare you!? I am not a fried chicken!" he roared.

"Hey, Riser, you know how the Bael Clan has the Power of Destruction and the Gremory Clan has the Power of Foresight?" Issei said.

Riser growled and motioned for him to continue. This was the most infuriating human he had ever met.

"Is the Phenex Clan's special power, the Power of Eleven Herbs and Eleven Spices?" Issei asked. At this question, everyone, even Grayfia, broke down in laughter. Rias and her peerage were on the floor dying while Asia giggled uncontrollably and Irina had to hold onto something to keep from falling.

Riser snapped and he created a massive fireball, throwing it at Issei. Issei calmly stood there and raised one finger. The fireball froze inches from his face and stood still. Issei raised his finger with the fireball still perched comfortably above it.

"You want this sub-par flame back?" Issei asked.

Riser took a step back. There was just no way. He was just a human mage! He even called his fire _sub-par_! Flames began to form around Riser and just as he was about to blast this human pest into ashes, a powerful force slammed into him.

"Riser! Stand down or I will be forced to intervene in the name of Maou Lucifer!" Grayfia warned. The temperature dropped as a light mist formed in the room.

"Of course. Even I would not fight the Strongest Queen," Riser said, powering down. Grayfia looked to Issei, who was completely unfazed by her display.

Issei sighed and dispelled the fireball.

Grayfia sighed. This was more difficult than she and her husband had made it out to be.

"Since Rias-sama's objection was foreseen by Lucifer-sama, he and the Lords of House Phenex have come up with a proposition. Rias shall challenge you to an unofficial Rating Game for her freedom. Is this acceptable?" Grayfia asked.

"Heh. Rias beat me? She doesn't even have a full set!" Riser said as he snapped his fingers. Fifteen magic circles appeared in the room and sixteen women appeared. Riser walked up to one of them and looked Issei in the eye.

"Take a good look boy. This is something you will never be able to experience," Riser said as he crashed his lips into the woman. She began to moan as Riser began to fondle her breast with his hand while his other squeezed her ass.

Everyone in the room looked disgusted at the display.

"Umm, do you want me to film this?" Issei asked.

The two stopped and Riser looked at him.

"What do you mean film this?"

"Aren't you trying to shoot a B-grade porno right now?" Issei asked. Riser's face turned red and he puffed up in anger.

"Enough! Young man, please refrain from angering a member of a Noble House and Riser, stay down. This is your last warning," Grayfia said.

The two nodded.

"I might as well show you what you're up against!" Riser said, snapping his fingers once more.

A young girl with blue hair and light brown eyes stepped forward. Her hair was tied in four ponytails and she wore a white haori with a red obi, underneath a red happi coat. She wielded a staff.

"This is Mira, my pawn. Mira, destroy this annoying human," Riser ordered.

"Of course, Riser-sama," she said as she charged at Issei. Issei stood still and held his hand out, channeling red and white mana into it. The moment the staff made contact with Issei's palm, a large repulsive wave blasted Mira back and through the wall.

Issei stood there impassively with an emotionless look in his eyes.

Mira stood shakily to her feet using what was left of her staff as support. Her arm was broken and her clothes were damaged.

"Mira, that's enough. I knew you were worthless," Riser said. Mira bowed her head in sadness. She had failed. She was the weakest.

"Hey asshole!" a voice from the door alerted them to a new presence. It was Ryuuju. The ORC and Issei's group's eyes grew wide. What the hell was he doing here!?

"That's not how you treat a woman!" he yelled. Riser looked at him bored. A girl, about the same age as Koneko, with blonde hair and drill like curls and wearing a pink frilly dress, stepped forward.

"Onii-sama, a human has discovered us," she said.

"I know, Ravel," Riser replied as he raised his palm and unleashed a spear of fire. The spear impaled Ryuuji in the stomach and he fell onto the floor bleeding.

"What the hell Riser!?" Rias yelled as she ran over to Ryuuji. She looked over the wound and saw that they were beyond her healing prowess.

_Damn my bleeding heart!_ Rias thought as she pulled out her pawn pieces. _One. Two. Three. Four. Five! That's it!_

A red glow emanated from Ryuuji as the color began to return to his skin.

"Issei, Irina, whoever the fuck has it! Bring Asia and Twilight Healing over here now!" she ordered. Irina and Asia nodded and walked over. Rias immediately got to work and reattached Twilight Healing to Asia.

"You have to heal him," Rias said.

"Do I have to?" Asia asked. She wasn't really sure she should. Issei strangely felt pride in Asia while Irina shook her head and began muttering of their being another Issei.

"Yes!" Rias said.

"Okay, fine!" she said as a green glow began to emanate from her hands. Asia drew upon white mana and cast **Healing** **Salve **to increase its healing power. The wound closed in mere seconds as the green and gold wisps of energy sewed it shut. "He'll be fine. Just out for a few hours," Asia said. Rias nodded and the two looked back to Riser, who was being berated by Grayfia.

"Of all the idiotic! We'll discuss this matter with your parents further once we return, for now, I need to hear Rias-Ojou-sama's response to this entire thing. Rias, are you willing to accept this challenge?" Grayfia asked, tearing her gaze away from a cowering Riser and co. and to Rias.

"Of course, I accept Onee-sama," Rias said, her resolve burning in her eyes.

"I see. Riser-sama, do you object?" Grayfia asked.

"Of course not. However, since I am in a rather chipper mood today, I will allow you ten days to train your peerage. Not that it will help anyway. I'll see you in ten days, Rias. And then, you'll be in my bed, begging for more," Riser said, laughing as he and his peerage disappeared in a swirl of flames.

Rias and her peerage went dead silent. Issei, Irina, and Asia stood there awkwardly as Rias shook in rage.

"Rias," Grayfia said, catching her attention.

"Nee-sama," she said.

"I suggest you start training as soon as possible," and with that Grayfia left in a flash of red light.

Rias kept staring at the spot where Grayfia once stood. She suddenly turned around and prostrated herself in front of Issei, who was taken aback by her sudden action.

"Please! I beg you! Help us!" she begged. Her entire peerage was floored by her action. Rias was humble, yes but she was still a devil and one thing Rias had in healthy amounts was pride. To see her beg in such a way was surprising to them. However, they could understand her situation. Her desperation was enough to make her beg for help in such a manner. Her dignity would not allow her to become a brood sow for the rest of her life.

Issei looked down at the shaking, prostrated Devilress in front of him. Kneeling in front of her, Issei spoke. "Rias, you don't have to beg. You could've just asked. And besides, I was going to help you anyway. Anything to screw that asshole over," he said, smiling.

Rias lifted her head and looked at him with hopeful, teary eyes. She lunged and hugged Issei, burying his face in her bountiful breasts. Issei's screams for help were muffled as Rias tightened her embrace. Her peerage smiled at the sight along with Asia and Irina.

Inside, however, Irina felt something. She was bothered by how Rias was clinging onto Issei. It confused her. Why did she feel this way?

Rias released Issei and smiled. "We start tomorrow! Meet us at the school!" she said.

* * *

**Kuoh, September 17, 2019, 5:00 AM**

* * *

When Rias said to meet them at the school, Issei never thought it would be this early. He stood there with several magic tomes and scrolls in his bag while Gisela, Raynare, Irina, and Asia had their backpacks on. The sight before them was certainly intriguing. Everyone had massive hiking bags on and we're all in their uniforms.

"So where is this training site of yours?" Raynare asked.

"Up in the mountains. I had Onii-sama set up a place for all of us to train," Rias said.

"I have a question. Why are we taking Mr. Holier-Than-Thou with us?" Irina asked. Koneko and Arata nodded.

Rias sighed. Ryuuji really did have a bad reputation with girls in his year. "Ryuuji is now a member of my peerage. As such, I have to make sure he is adequately prepared for the rating game," she said.

Ryuuji was shaking. He was now a devil, that part was awesome but he had to fight against another!? And it was Rias's fiance!?

"Since I'm asking you to train us, what is our regimen?" Rias asked.

"Hmmm, I called Ajani to come help since I'm training Asia too. Gisela and Ajani will teach you physical combat. _All_ of you. You can't rely on magical combat all your life. Ajani will also be teaching magic alongside me. That's a brief summary, I'll tell you more when we get there," Issei said.

Rias nodded and the group left for their hike up into the mountains.

Asia collapsed on the ground. Her legs were burning. She reached down and used Twilight Healing to heal all the tears inside her calves.

Around her, everyone except for Issei, Irina, Gisela, and Rias was on the ground catching their breaths. The two looked at Rias surprised that she wasn't tired.

"What?" Rias said, confused.

"How are you not…"

"Tired? Do you think this body maintains itself? I'm not Akeno," Rias said. "I've had basic physical training! My brother is a Satan! I know some hand to hand!" she continued indignantly.

"I see," Issei said. "That'll make things easier."

A storm of white light appeared in front of them. The storm cloud expanded before dispersing, revealing Ajani Goldmane standing before them.

"You're here, old man," Issei said. Ajani smirked, his large leonin canines showing.

"You told me that I am to train heroes or in their case, a fight against a fiance who threatens to subjugate your friend. You know that I despise tyrants," he said.

"Okay, let's get started!" Issei said, grinning sadistically. His grin was mirrored by Gisela and Ajani. The moment Raynare saw their grins, all the color in her face left and she looked deathly pale.

Everyone noticed Raynare enter what could only be described as PTSD mode and began to sweat profusely at what they could possibly have planned.

"We'll have a group training session! Here's the schedule! At 0800, you will have combat training with Ajani and Gisela. At 1300 will be Magic training with me and Ajani! At 1600 will be free time and you are free to have individual self-training or one on one tutoring with one of us! Are we clear!?" Issei barked.

They all nodded.

"Good, you have 15 minutes to get ready for Gisela and Ajani's class," Issei said.

With those words, the group ran off into the house and began to change into their training clothes. After they all changed, they stood in a line while Gisela and Ajani stood in front of them.

"Okay, maggots! Today, you will feel pain greater than anything you have ever felt! There will be no mercy! We will break you down and build you up! YOU!" Gisela pointed to Kiba. Kiba blinked and everyone stepped away from him.

"Step forward," Ajani said. Kiba gulped and walked towards them.

"I shall be assessing your skill, young one. Fight me with all your might," Ajani said. Kiba nodded and summoned **⌜Sword Birth⌟**. A black sword appeared in his hand. Ajani drew his battle-ax.

"Come at me when you're ready," the leonin said.

Kiba tensed up and launched himself at full speed to Ajani. To the devils. Irina, and Asia, Kiba disappeared and reappeared behind Ajani but to the old lion, he was moving slowly. Ajani lazily turned and swung his ax, knocking Kiba back.

Before Kiba could move, Ajani had the blade at his throat.

"Good. You did well, however, you rely too much on your speed and lack strength and defensive power. If my blow connected, you would have been severely injured," Ajani said, removing the blade. Kiba nodded and walked back to the line.

"Ray-ray!" Gisela said, drawing her twin blades.

Raynare gulped and stepped forward.

Gisela spread her massive wings and stood completely relaxed. Raynare formed a light sword and four wings sprung from her back. Due to Gisela's intense, psychotic training methods, Raynare had grown a second pair of wings. She gripped her light sword tightly.

Without warning, Raynare charged to Gisela, who deflected her attack. Gisela thrust her sword forward, which Raynare avoided by a hair, twisting her body out of the way. The two clashed for a few more seconds before Gisela swung her sword, shattering Raynare's light sword. She leveled her sword at Raynare's throat and the angel surrendered.

"You've improved!" Gisela said, causing Raynare to beam with pride. "We'll need to work on making your weapons more durable."

"Who's next?"

Koneko stepped forward and put on her gloves. She entered a boxing stance and looked at the two. Ajani stepped forward and put his ax away. He made the come at me gesture and Koneko ran to him. She threw several punches at full strength which Ajani nimbly evaded each hit.

Koneko swung her fist and Ajani slapped her wrist, changing the trajectory. Her fist impacted the ground, creating a rather large crater. Ajani brought his foot upward and kicked Koneko away from him.

The little neko landed a distance away. She stood up clutched her gut but fell to her knee as the pain began to get worse.

Seeing that she couldn't fight, Ajani walked over to her and raised his hand. Casting **Healing Salve**, Ajani healed Koneko.

"You have strength and defense. However, your speed could use some work. Overall, you are a great fighter. It would have been an honor to have you as a member of my tribe," he said. Koneko felt pride rush into her as she nodded.

"Redhead, you said you possessed some hand to hand training. Care to toss your hat into the ring?" Gisela said, looking Rias directly in the eye.

Rias gulped and nervously walked forward. Facing Gisela, Rias dropped into a basic fighting stance. She shifted her feet and lunged forward, throwing a jab.

Gisela knocked her hand out of the way and brought her knee up. Seeing this, Rias deftly evaded her attack by twisting her body then delivering a kick to Gisela's torso, sending her back a few inches.

Everyone was watching with slightly wide eyes. She wasn't lying when she said she was taught how to fight bare-armed. The battle didn't last long, however, as Gisela quickly had her on the ground.

Rias looked up into the angel's eyes as she was pinned.

"Looks like you do know how to fight, though it could use some work," Gisela said.

"You boxer boy," Gisela said, looking at Arata. Arata stepped forward and dropped into a similar boxing stance to Koneko.

Wasting no time, the boy threw a punch straight at Gisela. Gisela leaned her head out of the way and rammed her fist into his gut. Arata stumbled back and crumpled to his knees, gasping for air. He felt that blow. She was holding back. _A LOT_. Arata shakily stood to his feet and dropped back. He needed to think this through. Going off her body language, she didn't perceive him as a threat. And she would be right, none of them were.

Arata watched for any movement on Gisela's end but the angel was standing perfectly still. He began to run back through the various times he saw her fight. As he did, Gisela moved without warning and Arata found himself sprawled out on the ground.

"That's your flaw," she told him. He looked up at her. "You're incapable of adapting to an opponent whose capable of switching tactics on the fly. We'll work on that," she said.

Arata nodded and walked back to the group, clutching his ribs.

"Hmmm, Ajani, you got the next one," Gisela said.

"I want to see what Issei's apprentice is capable of," he said. Asia's eyes widened when she heard that. Irina stepped forward.

"Asia is a nun. She was never taught how to fight!" Irina retorted.

"I see. Then, we shall make sure she is properly prepared. I'll leave Issei's combat training to you then. Since you stood up for her, step forward," Ajani said.

Irina clenched her jaw and took a step in Ajani's direction. She had been trained as an exorcist in unarmed combat and she decided to go with that. Her secret weapon was to be saved for emergencies only.

Ajani noticed the girl drop into a stance. Looking at her left arm, he noticed string wrapped around it.

_An artifact that can alter its form?_ He mused. "Why do you not use your weapon?" he asked.

Irina's eyes widened in surprise. "What weapon?" she lied.

"The one on your left arm," he said.

"Tch! It's for emergencies," Irina said.

"I see. Very well then, let's fight," Ajani said. Irina dashed forward and threw a roundhouse to Ajani's face. The leonin raised his forearm and easily blocked her attack. Shifting his weight, he grabbed Irina's leg and threw her across the field.

Irina flipped and righted herself in midair, landing several feet away. Ajani appeared in front of her and brought his fist down. She barely managed to roll out of the way as the ground next to her broke.

She felt a foot connect with her as Ajani kicked her away. Irina crashed into a tree and slid down. Her entire body was in pain. If he was this strong, how strong was Issei if Issei learned under him!?

"Hmm, I can see why Issei praises you so highly. You have good skill but like the knight, you lack durability. We shall work on that," Ajani said.

After that, Akeno was called and she was defeated immediately. It seemed Gisela was still pissed off about the cannon fodder comment. However, she did give Akeno some pointers and told her that _she _would be personally teaching her how to fight.

Now it was Ryuuji's turn. The young man stepped forward. Ryuuji knew how to fight but his fighting style allowed him to bully other people into submission, not fight against someone who knew how to fight. He shivered remembering all those times Arata beat him up.

"Who's fighting him?" Gisela said.

"Hmm, I don't know. Rock-Paper-Scissors?" Ajani asked. She nodded.

"Wait, you play Rock-Paper-Scissors on other worlds?" Rias asked.

"Of course. This game has decided many a war on Naya or Alara now," Ajani said.

"One, two, three!"

Ajani threw scissors and Gisela threw paper. Sighing, she walked up to Ryuuji, who was shaking in his shoes.

"You ready kid?" she asked. He nodded and he ran forward to throw a punch.

Gisela blinked at easily threw him aside with one finger.

Ryuuji groaned. How did he get hurt so badly?

"You need to work on everything," she said, looking down at him.

"Alright, now that we have a good sense of whose where we'll begin," Ajani said.

* * *

Their combat training was possibly the most painful five hours of their entire lives. They were beaten, humiliated even. Every possible move they made countered easily by the two beings in front of them. And just when they thought they could land a blow, each one of them would be either sent flying into a tree or eat dirt.

And the worst part was that the two were holding back an immense amount of power. It was as if they were nothing but ants to them.

Eventually, their Hell ended and Ajani cast a mass healing spell that rejuvenated them. Next was magic training with Issei and Ajani. While Rias and Akeno could claim to be experts in magic, they knew that Issei could help them improve their skills.

Everyone sat on the ground as Issei walked in front of them.

"Okay, I've never taught before but allow me to explain what we'll be doing. On one hand, you will be using this period to improve your skills using this world's magic. On the other, I shall be teaching you spells I have acquired through my years traveling the Multiverse. Any questions?" Issei asked.

Rias was excited. Learning spells from another world. The prospect of learning a spell that could allow her to one-shot Riser's entire peerage made her drool.

"First we must go over the basics," Issei said.

Rias raised her hand. "Rias this isn't a classroom. You don't need to raise your hand," Issei said.

"We already know the basics," she said.

"Really? Then explain to me what Mana is," Issei said. Rias snapped her mouth shut.

"That's what I thought, though you should have a basic grasp of what it is. After all, all magic is powered by Mana, though I guess for you, you would call it Demonic Energy," Issei said. "Now, I know that you know magic but do you know why certain people can only use certain types?"

Everyone except for Raynare, Irina, and Asia shook their heads.

"Magic is attuned to one of six colors. Red, Blue, Green, White, Black, and Colorless. As Devils, you are all inherently under the Red color," Issei said. "Which works out because I know several red spells that can help. However, for anyone with secondary colors, I have books, tomes, and scrolls that I can translate using the Babelfish spell," Issei said.

"How do we know what color we are?" Akeno asked. Issei nodded to Ajani, who pulled out the Chromatic Lantern.

"I would have used the rings but I don't have them. This is the Chromatic Lantern. It stores the five principal colors of Mana. Come step forward and place your hand on it. When you do, focus on your strongest feelings. Your core principles. Your beliefs. Use all of that and try to tug on all of the colors and see which one reacts to you," Ajani said.

"I wanna go first!" Rias said, appearing faster than anyone could see in front of the Lantern. She placed her hand on it and concentrated hard.

"I don't think its working," she said, cracking open one eye.

"Think about who you are. What makes you, you. Who is Rias Gremory?" Issei told her.

Rias nodded and looked deep inside herself. Who was she? She was Rias of course. But what made her, her. She wanted to be free from her marriage. To spend time with her friends and loved ones. To be free from the constraints of her family. To escape her brother's shadow. And she would use this knowledge she acquired from Issei to do just that. To live her life as Rias. Not Rias of House Gremory.

A feeling came over her. The feeling of power. The feeling of knowledge. She slowly opened her eyes and saw a bright red and blue light coming from the lantern.

"I see my theory was correct Old Man," Issei said. Ajani nodded. "Alright! Next person!"

And so, this was how it ended. Koneko was Red and Green as was Arata. Kiba was Red and White like Issei was. Issei guessed that it was because of his Knightly persona. Akeno was Red, White, and Black. Ryuuji was pure Red.

"Okay, now that everyone has their colors, let's get started! Since most of you know the basics of magic, I'll just do a quick demonstration for those of you who don't," Issei said. He channeled a massive amount of white mana into his being. A swirling white mist began to surround them and grew until it became a white cyclone.

Issei's eyes glowed gold as he spread his arms. The white tornado split into multiple shapes that flew above him.

"**Entreat the Angels**," Issei muttered. He brought his hands back down to his side as the white blobs started to land on the ground.

The devils, two humans, and one Fallen stood awestruck at what Issei had just done. Before them, was a veritable squadron of Angels. The Angels turned to Issei and kneeled.

"Whoa," Akeno said in shock.

"Whoa indeed," Kiba said.

"Let's get started!" Issei said, dispelling the angels.

* * *

The next nine days were utter hell for them. Issei woke them up at the dead hours of the morning and made them get dressed. He made them run around the entire estate. During combat training, the same process was repeated each day. One on one spars with Ajani and Gisela to help them improve. On the fifth day, they did group fighting in which Issei teleported them all into the woods and their job was to capture Ajani and Gisela's flag.

**[Are you sure they'll be fine?]** Ddraig asked as Issei watched Asia going through her forms and spells.

"_They'll be fine. What's the worst that could happen?"_ Issei replied. An ear-piercing scream alerted the trio to the woods and Issei saw Gisela in the air summoning a massive pillar of light.

"Really? **Terminus**?" Issei muttered.

"Nii-san! Look!" Asia stood proudly with three ethereal wolves flanking her. The wolves were sitting down, wagging their tails as Asia scratched each of them behind the ears.

"Hmm, you have a talent for summoning," Issei asked. She had managed to cast **Howl of the Night Pack **in a few hours. It would take her a while to build up the number of mana reserves to summon forth an army of wolves.

"Let's teach you something different. This spell is called **Angelic Gift**," Issei said. A white glow surrounded him before two pairs of ethereal white wings burst from his back.

"It lets you fly," Issei said as he took off and hovered a few feet of the ground. Asia nodded and Issei handed her the tome for other enchantments. "Ajani told me that you've taken a liking to enchantments so here's some," he said.

"Thanks, Issei-nii," Asia said and ran off to learn more.

* * *

**September 26, 2019, 10:45 PM**

* * *

Rias sat in her desk, resting. Issei and the others had cut the day short to allow them to rest for the Rating Game. She decided to pull up Riser's old rating games and began to analyze them. She had been able to come up with counters for all his tricks but the one thing she was worried about was Riser and Ravel's Phenex Regeneration. How could she get past it?

A knock on the wall alerted her to the presence of someone.

"So, ready?" Issei asked.

"Almost," she replied. Issei raised an eyebrow.

"Almost?"

"It's not that I'm not confident that we have a chance. It's the Phenex's innate ability that has me worried," Rias said.

"Their regeneration right?" Issei asked.

"Yes," Rias said. Issei sighed.

"I see how that can be a problem. The counterspells you learned should be able to deal with their Pyrokinesis easily and you have your clan's Power of Destruction," Issei said. "But the regeneration? I have a few spells to help you deal with it."

"Really?"

"Yes," Issei summoned a book and opened it. "These two are perfect for a Blue aligned spell caster like yourself," he said, "The first that I'm going to give you knowledge on is called Inaction Injunction and the second is called Disallow. These two will negate any non-spell abilities such as your Power of Destruction or Active Regeneration," Issei said.

"How can I possibly learn two spells in one night?" she asked.

"Like this," Issei focused on his memories of others using the spell on Ravnica and transferred them to Rias using **Pursuit of Knowledge**. Rias's eyes widened as knowledge of the spell flowed into her mind.

With this knowledge, she felt hope. Maybe victory wasn't so far off.

* * *

**September 26, 2019, The Underworld, 9:59 AM**

* * *

The Gremory Peerage all stood in the waiting area. Today was the day that they would fight for their king's freedom. Rias had gone over the mechanics of one more spell with Issei. Two spells whose destructive capabilities were beyond what she had learned from him in the past ten days. Those two would be her trump cards.

Issei, Gisela, Ajani, Asia, Raynare, and Irina all sat in a booth Rias had gotten for them. The six were hoping that ten days of intense training was enough for a win for their friend.

"Do you think she has a chance?" Irina asked.

"I think she does. Especially if she uses _them_," Issei said. The five looked at him in curiosity.

As Ajani moved to ask, Grayfia's voice could be heard.

"_**The Unofficial Rating Game between Rias Gremory, Heiress of House Gremory, and Riser Phenex, Third Son of House Phenex, shall now begin."**_

* * *

**Babelfish**

**Cost:1**

**Type: Instant**

**Card Text: Draw 2 cards.**

**Flavor Text: _The Duolingo of the Multiverse_**

* * *

**Reviews:**

**reven228: I do hope that Asia learns to summon tokens. With her GW connection, she should be one of the stronger creatures. Great chapter, loved it! Keep goin and stay golden**

**She will as seen here but spells like Luminarch Ascension or Advent of the Wurm will be a way away. I also plan her to be an auramancer like Ajani. And thanks, you stay golden as well.**

**Chronos0305: Hey there, this is a pretty good story. I have always liked summoning magic, so I hope to see that in the future. I can see Issei using his planeswalker powers to interrupt Rias and Riser's wedding. Also a bit of a request. I am no expert on Magic: the gathering, but I did look up and saw there were samurai in the game, and I love samurai. Considering they are white affinity, and Ronin are Red and Black, maybe Issei made a few Samurai allies. Maybe bring a few in. You don't have to it's just a request.**

**I'll consider it. I do plan to have Issei summon a few _dragons_ from Kamigawa (A Feudal Japan Themed Plane).**

**Guest: Ryuuji is sticking his nose where it shouldn't be, bet five bucks he gets killed by a stray devil. So the Riser Arc is happening. I found some cards that can help Rias win and not cause a political shitstorm as Terminate would. Depending on whether you consider the Pheonix Regeneration an activated ability, stuff like Volrath's Curse, Disallow, and Tales End should stop it from kickstarting. That or just use Nullify, I guess that works too.**

**Thanks for suggesting Nullify. I was about to make Rias learn Obliterate of all things. And you're right Ryuuji did get killed but I had Rias revive him as he is supposed to take Issei's place as her pawn.**

**Scrumblenut: Ryuuji is concerning. His actions speak of jealousy, being that he is rejected when he is supposed to be one of the 'pretty boys'. But it may get him killed. Oh well. Take care.**

**Hmmm, a lot of people knew this was going to happen so I guess it was pretty obvious. He is running on jealousy by the way, at least until after this chapter. Anyway, take care.**

* * *

**Did you guys like how Issei trolled Riser? And what other two spells did Issei teach Rias? Next time on Dragon Ball Z- I mean Beyond the Gap. You know the rules, Review, Favorite, and Follow if ya like and have a great day/night or not, the choice is yours!~**


	9. May the Odds Be In Your Favor

**Alright! For those, who never checked my profile. The schedule's up for updating. Please note that that is subject to change. Anyway, let's get on with it. Also, the final season of Supernatural began on Thursday. Fifteen years of my life start to end and I'm saaaaddd.**

**I don't own Magic the Gathering or Highschool DxD.**

* * *

**[Ddraig talking]**

_**[Ddraig thinking]**_

_Mental Communication_

"Regular Dialogue"

**Attacks/Spells**

**Underworld**

* * *

Issei sat in the booths as Rias began to plan out her game. His eyes were analyzing her composure, her demeanor, her overall body language. She was nervous. And she had a right to be. Riser was a more experienced fighter than she was and had a load of games under his belt.

"She's going to lose," Ajani said as his eyes looked into the screen.

"She might," Issei said as he looked at the opponent's side.

Riser was confident, completely relaxed, and was calmly relaying orders. Outside, he might be an incorrigible pervert and racial supremacist but he was a good commander where it counted. If he wasn't such a horrible person, then maybe Issei would have considered him for the Boros guild. Ugin knows Aurelia would whip Riser into shape.

"What do you mean she's going to lose? Wasn't the point of the training to let her win?" Irina asked.

"The training was nothing more than a way to boost her confidence. Ten days is not enough time to prepare against a more experienced foe," Issei said as his mind flew back to images of Xenagos and that bastard Elder Dragon. "If she's lucky, she might pull off a win but she'll need to move at the right time in order to do so."

"You have something in mind, cub?" Ajani asked.

"A spell to deal with that pesky regeneration of his," Issei said.

Raynare stayed silent this whole time. The entire training trip was confusing for her. Issei must have known that Rias set him up to die so why was he helping her? The way he reacted to seeing her at his house that day. In his eyes were a rage. That rage died down but it was still there.

"Issei, why are you helping them?" Raynare asked.

"What do you mean? The-"

"No, not the 'they needed help' bullshit. She tried to have you killed to reincarnate you into her peerage. Had I not told you what my situation was that night would have gone differently for me. I would be lying in a puddle of my blood and you would be walking home. So why?" Raynare asked.

Issei's eyes darkened. He knew that they all knew. His summoning of Gisela wasn't exactly private. No, that amount of power suddenly appearing in one area acted as a beacon for all the beings in this world.

"I know what she did. But I hate the flaming chicken more. If she wins, she wins. But if she doesn't…," Issei said, trailing off.

"You would abandon her to her fate?" Ajani asked.

Issei looked down. He had thought about it. Leaving Rias to be a broodmare for the rest of her life. But Elspeth would be disappointed if he did that.

"No, we crash the wedding of course," Issei said.

"What of her deeds?" Ajani asked.

"That's taken care of. The maid was looking for cleaning out Rias's office when she found a folder. I assume it was a list of people she wants to add to her little peerage. I was there in the house getting some things for the trip to the Underworld," Issei said.

"You exposed that folder? Didn't you?" Ajani asked.

"I will neither confirm nor deny that statement," Issei said.

"That dragon is a bad influence on you," Ajani said.

* * *

**Rating Game Battlefield**

* * *

Rias sat in her desk inside of the mock ORC room. Ryuuji was over in the corner, shivering. She couldn't blame him. If she didn't have the high-class composure she had from years of living in high society, she would be shaking as well. She could only hope that Issei's training helped them. Her mind ran through all of the possible scenarios. All the possible outcomes of her next moves. Rias gripped her arm seat. She hoped she never had to use those spells that Issei taught her. The amount of destruction it caused and Issei had stated that on that world, she wouldn't even count as a novice and a novice can pull off those two spells to a devastating degree. The amount of charred earth and corpses as well as the weather itself obeying you. That itself was power. Power like that of the gods.

"Buchou? Orders?" Kiba said, sitting and polishing**『****Flame Delete****』****. **

Rias turned her azure eyes to his direction. "Okay, Arata. You and Koneko go take the gymnasium. Akeno, take Kiba and Ryuuji and begin setting traps," Rias said, walking over to the window. Several power signatures were heading in their direction.

_So he wants to promote his pawns, huh?_ She thought.

"What about you?" Akeno asked.

"Don't worry about me. I'll join you once I'm done," Rias said, without looking at her.

"Done doing what?" Arata asked her.

"You'll see," she said, turning revealing red flames around her right eye and blue flames around her left.

* * *

Arata and Koneko ran from the schoolhouse and made their way to the gymnasium, each step filled with growing trepidation. Arata narrowed his red eyes as he saw four people waiting for them.

The two stopped and stood across from the four. The first one stepped forward. She was a well-endowed young woman of Chinese descent with shoulder-length black hair and blue-green eyes. Her hair was styled into two Chinese-style buns on both sides of her head, while the front features formed a slight V-shape across her forehead. Her outfit consisted of a navy blue qipao with gold accents, a white sash around her stomach, and black, low-heeled shoes. The qipao is open at the chest area, giving view to Xuelan's breasts and cleavage. She also wore black armguards over her forearms.

Bowing in front of them, she introduced herself. "My name is Xuelan. I am Riser-sama's Rook. Today, I shall eliminate you today to ensure Riser-sama's victory," she said.

She turned to Mira, and two twin girls with turquoise hair. They wore a gym uniform similar to the ones used in Kuoh Academy. It consisted of a white shirt with black leggings, blue sneakers, and knee-high socks. They each wore an orange wristband on their left wrist and carried a blue bag and a red bag respectively.

"Ne, Nel," one of the twins said, pulling a blue chainsaw out of her red bag.

"Yes, Ile," Nel said as she copied her twin sister's actions by doing the same.

"Me thinks Xuelan wants to get across," she said.

"Me thinks so too, Ile," Nel said, grinning.

"Come on…"

"Mira-tan! Let's get…"

"Going!" the two finished simultaneously.

Mira nodded and the three dashed across the gymnasium. Koneko slammed her palm into the ground.

"**Fog**," Koneko muttered. True to its name, a white mist was expelled from where she made contact with the ground. The three advancing pawns halted their forward charge as the white mist traveled quickly engulfing the entire gymnasium and the surrounding area in a perpetual thick fog.

Xuelan immediately went on guard as she raised her defenses in anticipation of an attack. As she was scanning her surroundings, she heard Ile scream.

"NEL!"

"_One pawn of Riser Phenex has been eliminated. First blood has been drawn by Team Rias Gremory_," Grayfia announced over the intercom.

Xuelan grit her teeth. They couldn't fight them in this fog. Forming a magic circle, she decided to do the one thing she could at the moment. Call for air support.

"I don't think so," a voice called out from behind her. She turned wide-eyed to see Koneko appear from the fog. The little nekomata slammed her fist into the side of Xuelan's face, sending the Rook flying through the gymnasium wall.

"Akeno," Koneko called her through a Communication Circle (CC).

"_Yes?_"

"Arata and I are going to move forward. Take these three or two, depending on Arata, out for us," she said.

"_Will do. Over and out_," Akeno said, cutting the link.

"Arata! Finish whatever you're doing and let's go. We have to meet up with Yuuto," she said.

"Alright!"

Arata dodged Mira's bo staff. Smirking, he rammed **Star Breaker** into Mira's gut. The pawn gasped as she coughed up blood and was thrown back and embedded into a wall. Arata turned and ran in the direction of Koneko while dodging and countering a strike from Ile.

"Let's go. I called for air support," she said as the two left the building.

Mira climbed out of the wall and limped over to Ile. "Where's Xuelan?"

"Over here," the rook said, running back in.

"Did you see them?" she asked. The two shook their heads.

"Take advantage of this! Run over and promote!" she said.

"Ara ara. I don't think I can allow this," a voice called out, freezing them in place.

"Fufufufu" Akeno hovered above the gymnasium and raised her hand. A massive red magic circle materialized in the sky as electricity crackled between her fingertips.

"I do hope the outcome of this encounter wasn't _shocking_," Akeno said as she brought her hand down. A series of lightning strikes came down from the sky, obliterating the gym.

"_One Rook and Two Pawns of Riser Phenex-sama have been eliminated_," Grayfia announced.

* * *

"DAMNIT!" Riser slammed his fist down on a chair.

"Nii-sama, calm down," Ravel said, standing next to him.

"How can I stay calm when we're down four pieces and she's still at full!" Riser roared.

"We still have _it_ and Yubelluna as well as the others," Ravel said. She formed a CC and called Yubelluna.

"_Yes, Ravel-sama?_" she answered.

"Yubelluna. Initiate the Scorched Earth protocol," Ravel said.

"_Of course, Ravel-sama,_" Yubelluna said, cutting the link.

"Scorched Earth? Isn't it a bit too early dear sister?" Riser asked as he looked out over the school.

"Considering what's at stake? No," Ravel said.

* * *

Arata and Koneko ran over and saw Ryuuji and Yuuto ahead of them. They were in the courtyard and making their way to the school roof as well.

"Yuuto!" Koneko called. The two boys stopped and turned around.

"Koneko!" he replied.

"Any difficulty on your end?" she asked.

"No, we set up the traps as planned, though we haven't seen any of Riser's other pieces other than his knight, who pulled back to here," he said.

"They're planning something," Koneko said.

"Be on guard, playboy," Arata said as Ryuuji nodded furiously.

* * *

Issei sighed as he placed his feet on the table. They were doing well as Issei, Ajani, and Gisela expected. For the first part that is. The true boss of this fight would be Riser and his sister. He saw a black vambrace with gold accents and a violet gem at the very end where his hand was on Ryuuji's right arm.

"So that's his Sacred Gear," he muttered.

**[Abyssal Strike. One of my previous hosts had to fight a wielder of that]** Ddraig said.

"What does it do?" Issei said, his eyes glued onto the Gear.

**[It allows the user to manipulate and control darkness. It's greater than the ability granted by the Shadow Prison. The only downside is that it's a crisis state sort of gear. It gets more powerful with each hit the user takes and has an ability similar to Penetrate]** Ddraig explained.

Issei whistled. That was one strong gear.

_Still though, Will it be enough?_ Issei thought.

"Issei. Do you think she can pull it off at this point?" Irina asked.

"Her chances are still low. Even with that boy's Sacred Gear," he said. "However, if she wants to increase her chances, she'll need to get her timing right. In addition to a nullification spell, I taught her a spell or two that could turn everything in her favor," Issei said.

"What would spell would that be?" Raynare asked.

"Now that would be telling," he said, smiling.

Ajani looked at the boy and chuckled a little.

_Looks like you taught him a thing or two about trickery, you scaly bastard_, Ajani thought as his mind flew to a certain dragon on a city plane.

* * *

"I don't like this," Yuuto said as they walked across the courtyard.

"Yeah, tell me about it," Ryuuji said as a blade that was seemingly made of pure shadows was ejected from the vambrace.

Koneko's eyes scanned the area for any sign of the enemy while Arata kept an eye out for a possible airstrike from one of Riser's peerage members.

As they walked, every hair on Yuuto's neck stood on end.

"Get to the building!" he said.

The three looked at him in confusion.

"Just do it!" he yelled. The four took off and ran into the schoolhouse. The entire courtyard was engulfed in red flames as several magic circles appeared. Explosions rocked the entire school as the four members of the Gremory Peerage braced themselves.

When the shaking and the explosions died down, Arata looked up and saw the entire courtyard was reduced to smoldering craters and pieces of rubble. The entire front portion of the building they were hiding in was vaporized.

*_COUGH*_

Arata turned to see Koneko badly injured. She lay half-buried underneath a few piles of rubble.

"KONEKO!" Arata ran over and began to move the rubble off.

"A.. rata," she said, looking over at him.

"Don't worry! I'll get you out of this!" he said as he cleared the rubble.

"I'm not dying… even though this hurts. A lot," she said.

"Hehe, I can imagine," he said as he moved the last piece of rubble. His eyes widened. Her legs were bent in an awkward angle. Her tibia was sticking out of her left leg and blood gushed from the wound.

"How bad is it?" she asked.

"It's… not that bad. Nothing Asia can't fix," he said.

"Looks like I'm retiring huh?" she said, smiling as blood trickled from her mouth.

"I'll get her for you," Arata said, gripping Koneko's hand as she began to dissolve into light particles.

"I'll hold you to that," Koneko said before she retired.

Arata clenched his fists in anger when he heard Grayfia's announcement.

"_Rook of Rias Gremory has retired_," she announced.

Over in the club room, Rias grit her teeth. She needed a bit more time to gather all of the mana she needed. The day before the games, Issei had her teleport to every known mountain and beach in Japan to get attuned to the mana in the area. While he said that it wasn't a complete connection, it was enough for them to siphon from and right now, Rias was siphoning mana for all she was worth.

"Come on guys. Just give me a few more minutes!" Rias said as she gathered more red and blue mana.

Arata, Yuuto, and Ryuuji all dropped into battle stances as Riser's Queen and his other pieces hovered in the sky. Arata growled when Yubelluna smirked victoriously at their damaged forms.

"Your King made a mistake fighting against Riser-sama. Retire and our king might be more lenient towards you when he wins," a woman said, floating forward. She was a young woman with light brown hair and green eyes. Her outfit consists of a full set of silver armor with black accents that appears to be a cross between a European Knight, a Japanese Samurai, and wears a headband that goes across her hair and forehead.

"Like hell, we will!" Arata said, pointing at her.

"Don't even bother with them, Karlamine," Yubelluna said. "They've chosen their fates," she said, forming a magic circle.

The three readied themselves for her inevitable attack when a series of lightning bolts came from the sky. The lightning bolts were rde in color and arced from its initial target of Yubelluna, striking all the other members present.

"_Knight, Rook, Bishop, and Pawns of Riser Phenex have retired,_" Grayfia announced.

Akeno landed next to them.

"I never thought I'd be more glad to see you, Akeno-san," Yuuto said.

"I'm sorry I couldn't get here in time, Yuuto-kun," Akeno said before she turned to see a badly damaged Yubelluna and Isabela. The two had managed to survive Akeno's attack much to the surprise of everyone present.

"Tch, you little bitch!" Yubelluna growled. She formed a small orange magic circle and manifested a vial. Akeno's eyes widened as she recognized the contents. She looked to Yuuto, who nodded and disappeared, reappearing behind Yubelluna with his sword drawn. His attack was blocked by Karlamine, who reacted on time, saving Yubelluna.

"You two. Arata! Ryuuji, head to the roof! And buy Rias time!" Akeno said as she began to amass more mana.

"What about you and Yuuto!?" Ryuuji asked.

"Don't worry about us!" she said.

"Bu-!"

"GO!" she roared.

The two nodded and ran into the school. Akeno smiled and fired a blast of fire at Yubelluna who dodged, closing the vial. Yubelluna glared. They were trying to keep her from using the Phenex tears to recover her injuries.

"Karlamine," she said.

"Yeah," the Knight replied as she dodged a swipe from Kiba.

"Cover me."

Karlamine nodded as she landed a kick on Kiba's side sending him crashing into the school building.

Yubelluna pointed her wand at Akeno, manifesting a violet magic circle underneath her. Using her knight speed, Akeno quickly evaded the attack as the ground she stood on exploded.

Akeno fired a lightning bolt at Yubelluna only for Karlamine to get in front of the bolt and take the hit. Yubelluna opened the vial and drop it on herself. She glowed red and she felt her wounds heal and her entire self getting revitalized.

"Damnit! Yuuto!" Akeno yelled.

Yuuto appeared next to Yubelluna and attempted to slash her. A very badly injured Karalamine appeared behind him and slashed his back, causing Kiba to cry out in pain.

Yubelluna pointed her hand in both Yuuto and Karlamine's direction and unleashed a spell. An explosion rocked the Rating Game field as Akeno was forced to shield her face from the blast wave.

"_Knight of Rias Gremory has retired. Knight of Riser Phenex has retired_," Grayfia said.

"Heh, looks it's just you and me then," Akeno chuckled hollowly as she looked at Yubelluna.

The Queen smiled before responding. "No, just me," she said as she began to charge energy.

"Hehe, you cocky little bitch," she muttered before forming a barrier, deflecting her attack.

* * *

Arata and Ryuuji ran up through the corridors of Kuoh, increasing their pace when they heard the announcement.

"We shouldn't have left them!" Ryuuji said as they flew up the stairs, preferring not to waste time by climbing them.

"I know but what choice did we have. We need to be there when Rias makes her move on Riser," Arata said as he flapped his wings.

The two arrived at the door to the roof and burst through. On the other side was a young girl, about Koneko's age, with blonde hair styled in twin tails that resembled drills. She wore a frilly pink dress and had azure blue eyes. Surrounding her was an air of superiority as she smiled haughtily at them, her eyes twinkling in amusement.

At the edge of the roof, sitting down was Riser Phenex. He turned his head lazily, not even seeing them as a threat.

"Oh, you're here," he said. "Do me a favor and retire. I'm really getting bored of this game."

"What are you talking about? You've lost just as many pieces as we have," Arata said, tensing himself for battle.

"All trivial in the grand plan of things. Right now, Yubelluna has just recovered to full health and is now fighting your queen and Rias is coming here to confront me. She's basically offering herself up. No matter how hard, you, that guy, or her queen fights, it's all useless if Rias decides to come here herself just to get eliminated," Riser said, standing up and dusting himself off.

"W- What do you mean that Buchou's coming here?" Ryuuji asked.

"You can't sense her? Tell me, you the other one, can you sense your king coming here?" Riser asked.

Arata nodded. What the hell was Rias thinking coming here!? Was she purposely offering herself up on a silver platter to this blonde douchebag!?

"You might as well retire now. In a few minutes, this game will all be over," Ravel said, walking to her brother's side.

"Not if we have anything to say about it," Arata said.

"Please don't do this. I can see that you are a fighter with a good head on your shoulders. You should know when you're outmatched," Riser said, looking at him.

"Still, we can try," Arata said.

"Very well then," Riser said. "Don't say that I didn't warn you," he said, raising his fists and coating them with fire. His wings appeared from his back as he kicked off towards Arata and Ryuuji.

"Here he comes. Get ready playboy!" Arata yelled.

"Don't have to tell me twice!" he said as the two took off to meet Riser in the middle.

* * *

"That idiot!" Issei said, slamming his fist down on his armchair.

"Heading to the roof where a stronger foe lies. A foolish move if I do say so myself," Ajani said, stroking his chin.

"She should have waited for the right moment. She's not done amassing the mana she needs to pull the spells off!" Issei said.

"She wanted to corner him but that mass area spell caught her off guard and then that Healing Item Now, she's been forced to revise her strategy. Seems like she's going in for a forward assault," Ajani said.

"Is she going to…," Asia asked.

"Lose? There's a good chance of that happening now. She might get caught up in those spells and retire herself from the game, thus losing the match," Issei said.

"We should keep watching then. We don't exactly know why she's heading there. For all we know, she's trying to get a good vantage point," Ajani offered.

"I hope so," Issei said.

* * *

Rias beat her wings as hard as she could. After she heard Kiba retire, Rias decided that she wasn't going to just sit around anymore. She needed to act and go confront Riser. She was getting closer and closer to the school roof. A stray fireball came her way forcing her to twist her body and narrowly avoided it. She squinted and saw Arata and Ryuuji fighting Riser. They had him on the defensive though she could see that Riser wasn't putting in that much effort. He was dodging, blocking, and countering where he could whereas Ryuuji and Arata were trying their hardest to land even one good hit on him.

His regeneration wasn't helping anything. No, his regeneration only made it harder. Any wound that they did manage to inflict was healed within a matter of seconds. Rias stopped and hovered. She saw Ravel staring at her with a victorious shine in her eyes. Rias narrowed her eyes.

"Let's see how you like it when you can't heal yourself, Riser," Rias said under her breath as she threw one hand forward. A blue triangle formed in front of her as she targeted Riser.

"**Inaction Injunction**," she said.

Riser flipped over Ryuuji's swipe and kicked him across the roof. The pawn landed and hit his back against the shingles. He smirked. This wasn't too bad. It'll work up an appetite for him later in bed when he pops Rias's cherry. He held his hand out and formed a fireball. Or at least tried to.

"What the fu-," he didn't even finish his sentence as a punch from Arata sent him careening to the side. The force of the punch caused Riser's jaw to crack as a few of his teeth were knocked out.

The rook landed across from him as Riser held his face, looking outraged. He tried to push magic to regenerate the wound but no matter how many times he tried, he couldn't.

"What the fuck!? Why can't I heal!?" Riser yelled as he tried to force his magic to heal him.

Ravel grew concerned as her brother kept yelling. He wasn't healing? And he couldn't attack?

"What's going on?" she asked. Ravel turned her head to where she saw Rias and saw her ascending high into the air. She narrowed her eyes when she saw Rias hover near the height limit of the Rating Game arena.

"What the hell is going on? Why is she… !?" Ravel's eyes grew wide as she felt a massive amount of energy coming from Rias. Lightning and flames were now arcing off her body. Her hands were glowing a fiery red as she raised them.

Rias had just finished acquiring the amount of mana she needed to pull this spell off. An arena wide spell that targeted all those she saw perceived as threats. Issei had shown her this along with another spell. A spell that unleashes a tornado that traps her opponents inside. If she could pull off this combo, this game was as good as hers, however, the spells all normally targeted only one and that they needed to be "Overloaded" in Issei's words which meant overcharging it with mana. The only problem with the tornado spell was that it might suck in her allies as well.

Rias formed a multi-channel CC to all of her remaining peerage members.

"CLEAR THE FUCK OUT!" she yelled over the CC.

Akeno jolted at the sudden order before obeying and taking off at breakneck speeds to other ends of the Rating Game Arena, leaving a confused Yubelluna behind. Ryuuji and Arata, having heard the order did the same.

"**Promotion: Knight!**" Ryuuji said, promoting to the knight piece. He sped over to Arata and flew away. Riser looked confused as the two flew away.

"So, they gave up?" he asked, looking at them. "Ravel?"

He turned to see Ravel looking at the sky. Curious to see what she could possibly be staring at he looked up and saw Rias hovering far above them.

Rias sighed as she saw her peerage members fly away from the blast zone. She clapped her hands together as blue lightning was expelled from her body. Dark storm clouds began to form as the rain began to fall over the area. The sound of thunder could be heard.

"She actually managed to pull it off," Ajani said.

"Yeah," Issei said, focusing his attention on the match.

"**CYCLONIC RIFT!**" Rias said as she cast the spell. She spread her arms pumping in the necessary amount of mana for the overload cost. A massive F-5 tornado came crashing down on the school roof, tearing apart the main building. Lightning crashed across the Arena as Rias willed the tornado to suck in everything in the vicinity of the roof.

Ravel, Riser, and Yubelluna were all sucked into the tornado with the former two trying to get away from the cyclone. They were now trapped within the vortex, being struck by lightning from all sides as the storm tore apart the area.

"WHAT THE FUUUUCCCCKKKK!" Riser yelled as he was tossed around.

"I'm not done yet!" she yelled. She held her palm up forming a yellow insignia that resembled a dragon.

"**Overloaded Mizzium Mortars**," she said. The ground shook as several fireballs erupted from the ground all targeting Riser, Ravel, and Yubelluna. The fireballs homed in on the three as they began to barrage them endlessly.

Akeno, Arata, and Ryuuji watched as they saw the tiny figure of Rias hovering in the sky with a veritable maelstrom of fire and lightning in front of her.

Everyone watching the game was in shock. Where did Rias learn such powerful spells!?

"_Q- Queen of Riser Phenex has r- retired! R- Riser Phenex h- has retired! Rias Gremory wins the match!_" Grayfia announced, stupified at the sight before her.

Inside the arena, Rias's remaining peerage members cheered. Akeno glomped Ryuuji in happiness, causing the pawn to blush intensely while Arata smirked. Rias hovered over the smoldering ruins of the main school building. In front of her, Ravel hovered. Her clothes were in tatters, exposing her modesty in front of the entire underworld. Wounds and blood littered her entire body however, they were beginning to slowly heal thanks to her regeneration. The two stood quietly across from each other before fatigue overtook Ravel's body and she passed out and began to plummet to the ground. Rias flew down underneath her and caught the young girl before landing and setting her down softly on the ground.

* * *

Over in the stands, a man who looked like an older male version of Rias and a blonde man stood looking at the games. The man turned to the blonde male with a sheepish smile on his face.

"Hey, Revan, I'm really sorry about this," he said.

Revan chuckled and waved him off.

"It's better this way. I will be sad that our families won't be joined together but I can see that forcing it on our children was not the way to go about doing it. So don't sweat it, Zeoticus," Revan said with an ever-present twinkle in his eye.

"You were always were too relaxed for your own good old friend," Zeoticus said. The two men turned to the other occupant in the room. He, like Zeoticus, had crimson red hair and blue-green eyes. He wore a white suit resembling that of a British Military Court Dress. It had blue accents that ran up the center and decorated the sleeves and collar. Above it was an armored cape with wing-like pauldrons and a breastplate acting as the clasp. The armor was dark grey with golden accents decorating them. Around the man was a relaxed air that betrayed the level of power underneath his smiling face.

"Well, Sirzechs? Was this everything you hoped for?" Zeoticus said, looking at him.

"I never expected Ria-tan to win, Chichi-ue, so this took me by surprise a little. I was planning to slip an invitation to one of her peerage members. The boxer boy to be more specific," Sirzechs said.

The door opened revealing Grayfia, who bowed before walking over to Sirzechs.

"Lucifer-sama. You need to go greet the two participants and announce the winner. Also, you might want to take a look at this. I need to tell you this as your wife and not your Queen that you need to look at this not with your usual depiction of Rias but as her leader," Grayfia said, handing him a manila envelope.

Sirzechs raised an eyebrow before opening it. As he read the contents, his eyes grew wide.

"Chichi-ue. I need to address the matter of Rias's victory immediately," Sirzechs said.

"Of course. You go do that. Your mother and I will meet you down there," Zeoticus said.

* * *

Issei and the others stood among the crowd as Rias and her peerage, the majority o which were covered in bandages stood with happy and content faces at the front on the stage.

Sirzechs appeared on the stage with Grayfia and looked out over the crowd. His eyes caught a glimpse of the most peculiar sight he had seen in his few hundred years of life. A man that looked like an anthropomorphic lion.

_Weird? A familiar perhaps that I'm unaware of?" _Sirzechs thought.

"Ahem. Rias Gremory. Please step forward," Sirzechs said. "As per the agreement made between House Gremory and House Phenex, you have been freed from your marriage contract as per your victory against the third son of Phenex, Riser Phenex."

Rias smiled happily as tears of joy began to form at the edges of her eyes.

Sirzechs smiled at the sight. "I propose we celebrate. To the victory of Rias Gremory!"

Issei smiled after catching Rias's eye before he walked out to the balcony alongside the others.

Inside the building, the party went on and on and the sounds of devils celebrating could be heard. Issei sat on a chair at the balcony with Irina sitting next to him. Gisela had opted to go home and Raynare went with her. Ajani had received a message from Jace about something going on in Ravnica that he needed help with so that left Issei with Irina and Asia.

Rias walked out of the building carrying a tray of drinks.

"Hey, do you guys want some?" she asked.

"Thanks!" Asia said, taking one. She sipped from the glass as she petted a green spectral wolf that had its head on her lap.

Rias turned to Issei, who was looking at her intensely.

"Thank you for helping me," she said.

"I didn't have to you know. After the whole, 'I'm going to have you killed and reincarnate you' thing," Issei said.

Rias's eyes grew wide. He knew? Of course, he knew.

"Why?" she asked softly.

"Because like it or not, I've grown somewhat fond of you and as your friend, I guess, I feel obligated to help you. That and the fact that you haven't exposed me to the rest of your race is a bonus," Issei said, looking at her. A small smile graced his lips.

Rias began to cry. "I'm sorry. It's just that I didn't want to-"

"Hey, what's done is done. I don't hold anything against you though you could have gone about this better like asking for one," Issei said.

"Y- yeah…," Rias said.

"Let's start over again," Issei said, sighing. A crying girl always got to him.

"R- Right," she said. "I'm Rias Gremory. Devil Heiress."

"I'm Issei Hyoudou. Planeswalker," Issei said.

Irina shot Rias a look before nodding and Asia looked at her with a smile. The four began to make idle small talk, mostly about what Rias was going to do with her newfound freedom.

Grayfia and Sirzechs walked outside with the manila folder in hand and saw Rias talking to her friends. His eyes trailed over to the three people that were on the folder. According to Grayfia, the boy was a mage from Kuoh and the girls had some connection to the church. The very fact that Rias tried to get these two in her peerage was a headache in and of itself for him.

"Rias," Sirzechs said. His voice was cold and firm, demanding attention and respect. A voice befit a ruler. Upon hearing his voice, she froze.

"Nii-sama," she said, hesitantly.

"Care to explain why you tried to have these three killed?" he asked.

* * *

**And that's it. Remember to review. It does get lonely here. Also, fav and follow if you liked it. I've been kind of busy with midterms sooo, yeah. Have a great day/night or not, the choice is yours!~**

**1)CC means Communication Circle**


	10. The Leap Forward

**Okay, this chapter signals the end of the Riser Arc and segways into the new arc so it will be shorter compared to all the other chapters. New characters will appear in this chapter! New threats! New arc! Yeaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh! I'm glad you all like this story and I do hope you continue reading it for future chapters. Anyway, let's begin.**

**I do not own Magic: The Gathering or Highschool DxD.**

* * *

**[****Ddraig talking]**

_**[Ddraig thinking]**_

**{Albion talking}**

_**{Albion thinking}**_

_Mental Communication_

"Regular Dialogue"

**Attacks/Spells**

* * *

Issei sat down and watched the spectacle before him. Rias was looking down at the ground while her older brother, who she described as a big softie, was currently tearing her a new one. The silver-haired maid stood off to the side shaking her head at her master's sister's actions. Irina sat next to him looking at her with a small amount of pity in her eyes.

"Of all the stupid things you could have done, you went and did this! Endanger the life of a human as well as the life of a former nun, exorcist, and to top it all off, Azazel's daughter!? Rias, I am seriously contemplating whether or not siding with you when you argued going to the human world was the smartest choice on my part," Sirzechs said as he towered imposingly over his sister.

Rias held her head down in shame, not daring to meet her brother's eyes. Issei caught a glimpse of her peerage watching her from the corner of his eye. They were hiding and peeking from the doors.

"N- Nii-sama, I-!"

"It is obvious that you are clearly not responsible enough to be able to run a town. Therefore, I am sending Sairaorg over there to be one of the town's administrators to watch over you. You shall also report to him and Grayfia at the end of every week of all the notable events within the territory," Sirzechs said, leaving no room for argument.

Rias nodded weakly as she trembled before her older brother.

"Grayfia," Sirzechs said.

"Yes, Lucifer-sama?" she said.

"Go get Sona and Sairaorg," he said.

"Of course," she said, walking off.

Sirzechs turned to Issei and what he did next shocked everyone present. Sirzechs got on his hands and knees and bowed.

"Hyoudou-san, as her brother and her Maou, I humbly beg forgiveness for any offense she might have done against you and your friends," Sirzechs said.

Issei stood there in shock. He never had a leader bow before him in all his life. This was new to him. He didn't know how to respond so he said the only natural thing someone like him would do.

"I- It's okay Lucifer-sama. I'm fine," Issei said, reassuring him.

"In any case, any compensation that the Gremory family can offer you, you need only to ask," Sirzechs said, lifting himself off the ground.

"I- I'll keep that in mind," Issei said. He held out his hand and Sirzechs grasped it firmly.

"I shall properly introduce myself. I am Sirzechs Lucifer, one of the Four Great Satans under the title Lucifer. It is a pleasure to meet you," Sirzechs said, shaking his hand.

"I'm Issei Hyoudou. Mage. I don't have any fancy titles," inside Issei heard Ddraig snort in amusement, "It's an honor to finally meet the great Sirzechs that Rias was always talking about."

Sirzech's eyes lit up and Rias sent him a heated glare along with a red face.

"Really? What did she say!?" the Maou said, leaning in his face centimeters from Issei's.

Issei smiled.

"She said that you're the best big brother she could ever have and that all of her magic, she learned from you," Issei said.

"AW RIA-TAN!" Sirzechs ran over and pulled Rias into a hug. Rias struggled to get out of her brother's grip and she felt all of the vertebrae in her spine begin to creak.

"N -Nii-sama! I need… air!" she choked.

Her salvation came in the form of a harisen wielding Grayfia who slammed Sirzechs into the ground.

"Lucifer-sama. We are in a public setting. Please refrain from acting in such a manner," she said.

"But Grayfia-chan~!" Sirzechs whined.

She narrowed her eyes and pulled on his cheek.

"OW! GWAYFIA! IT HUWWTS!" Sirzechs said as Grayfia held onto his cheek.

"Stop," she said.

"Okay!" she let go and Sirzechs rubbed his sore cheek. He turned and saw Sona and Tsubaki alongside a tall man with spiky black hair. He had violet eyes and an extremely well-built figure. If Issei had to comment, he would say that this man's muscles had muscles. Next to him was a very beautiful woman with blonde hair and green eyes. The woman was extremely curvaceous and the outfit she wore didn't help in any regard. Issei had a good view of her cleavage and a trickle of blood began to fall from his nose. He felt a sharp pain in his foot and saw Irina glaring at him.

"Right, Rias, as I said, Sairaorg will be moving into Kuoh as my eyes and ears. You and Sona are to report to him at the end of every week. Do you understand?" Sirzechs said, gesturing to the muscular man.

Rias sighed and conceded to her older brother's conditions.

"Okay," she said.

"Wonderful," Sirzechs said and then turned to Sairaorg and the blonde woman. "Sairaorg, Kuisha, this is Issei Hyoudou and his sister Asia Hyoudou and their friend, Irina Shidou. They will be under your care as well so please introduce yourselves"

Sairaorg stepped forward and held his hand out to Issei. Issei smiled and grasped it firmly. Sairaorg's face morphed into a wide grin much to Issei's happiness.

"I can tell we're going to get along very well," Issei said, flaring his mana causing him to glow an iridescent gold.

"I know," Sairaorg said, flaring his own demonic power.

Irina and Kuisha stood off to the side with blank looks as they watched their respective male friends in a mini standoff. Behind Issei, there was the image of a massive red dragon and behind Sairaorg was a massive golden lion. Their respective beasts snarled and roared at each other. The two sighed and glanced at each other.

"So, is he your idiot?" Kuisha asked her.

"Unfortunately," Irina replied with a small smile.

"Kuisha Abaddon," Kuisha turned and greeted Irina and holding her hand out.

"Irina Shidou," Irina said, shaking it.

"They're getting along very well," Sirzechs said. Next to him, Rias was shaking. She knew that smile on Sairaorg's face. It was his "Finally a strong opponent!" smile. Sona was pale as well. She had heard from Rias that Issei was teaching her a few tricks. What she didn't realize was that a few tricks involved transforming the entire rating game field into an active volcano and summoning a cyclone from nowhere.

"All the damage we'll have to account for…," Sona said in a dead tone.

"Glad that's no longer my problem," Rias said.

"YOSH! Rias! My peerage and I will be moving in by the end of the week," Sairaorg said, turning to her. He turned back to Issei and smiled, "See you then!" With that, he walked off back into the ballroom.

"I'll be waiting," Issei said, smirking. Kuisha bade Irina farewell and followed after her king.

A beeping sound in Issei's pocket alerted everyone and Issei pulled out a small orb.

"I got to take this. It's a call from one of my friends. I'll see you all at school tomorrow. Come one, let's go, Asia, Irina," Issei said.

"Do you know how to get back?" Sirzechs asked.

"Yeah. Rias taught me how to get here," Issei said, forming a large golden magic circle underneath him. The three disappeared in a crackle of golden light.

* * *

**Hyoudou Household**

* * *

Issei paced around the living room, talking to the holographic image of a man wearing a blue cloak.

"I see," Issei said. "Are you sure about this?"

"I'm positive. Sorin confirmed it. Something's going down on Zendikar," the man said. Over to the side, Raynare, Gisela, Irina, and Asia listened in on the conversation.

"I understand that this is of grave concern. I know how dire it is. I grew up with Ugin for Ur's sake," Issei said.

"Then you know that you'll have to leave your world and come help out. If they get free, it's not just Zendikar that's in trouble bu-"

"Mine as well," Issei said. "Jace, who'll be there?"

"Gideon and Chandra have stated that they're showing up. Sorin said that there's an animist named Nissa doing her best to hold them off until we get there," Jace informed.

"I thought you and Chandra weren't on speaking terms?" Issei asked, curious.

Jace looked away from him.

"No way!" Issei said.

"Shut up. So are you coming or not?" Jace asked.

Issei glanced over to the four girls, who were looking at him intensely. Issei sighed and turned back to Jace.

"I'll go," Issei said.

"Look, I'm sorry to pull you away but this is a dire situation here," Jace argued.

"Yeah, it's okay," Issei said.

"Look, I'll see you there," Jace said, cutting the link. His image disappeared and the orb floated back into Issei's palm. Pocketing it, Issei turned to the four.

"Gisela, I have some business on Zendikar. Are you okay with staying here a little longer?" Issei asked her.

"Of course but why are you going to Zendikar?" she asked him as Issei summoned a bag.

"Jace said that they broke free," Issei said. Gisela paled. Avacyn had told them stories that Sorin used to tell her when she was just a young fledgling. Of monsters capable of devouring entire universes just to sate their hunger. Horrors that were so vile and powerful that even Sorin was forced to seal them away alongside two other Planeswalkers.

"No…," she whispered. The other three turned to the Angel. This was the first time they had seen her like this. Fear.

"W- Where is Issei going?" Raynare asked.

"To Zendikar. A plane that is the prison for horrible eldritch monsters that travel from world to world just to devour them," she said.

"They can't be that bad right? Issei's really strong already," Raynare said.

"You don't understand," Issei said, speaking up.

"Sorin. A planeswalker many times more powerful than I am couldn't kill them, even in his prime. He had to seal them away with the help of two other Planeswalkers," Issei said.

"Then, why are you going?" Irina asked him, concerned for his well being.

"Because they need all the help they can get. These things. If they get out of Zendikar, all the other planes of existence will be in trouble," Issei said.

"Then let us come with you, Nii-san," Asia said.

"No, stay here. It's too dangerous for you," he replied.

"And it's not for you?" Irina asked.

Issei went silent at her words. He couldn't let them come. If anything happened to them, he wouldn't be able to live with himself.

"It's less dangerous if I go by myself," Issei said.

"You think we can't handle ourselves! Issei, I've trained my entire life to fight monsters! I think I can handle a few more!" Irina argued.

"No, absolutely not! The Eldrazi are not just some monsters. They are beings made purely with the purpose to consume and destroy. Their existence is an affront to nature itself," Issei argued.

"They can't be that bad! Gisela, back me up here. We can't let Issei run to his death if these things are really as bad as they say!" Irina turned to the Archangel, who regarded her silently.

"Truth is if we all go, we'd only be slowing him down. He'd be worried more about us than his actual mission," Gisela said.

Irina turned to Issei who looked away. She turned around and ran upstairs to her room. Issei gazed sadly at the stairs and flinched when he heard the door to her room slam shut.

"Asia, take care of them while I'm gone," Issei said.

"Nii-san…," Asia said. Issei walked over and ruffled her hair before turning to Raynare.

"Raynare, don't get into trouble," Issei said.

"Fuck you too Issei. Be careful," Raynare said, pulling him into a hug.

"Gisela…," Issei said.

"Yeah, yeah. Keep them safe. I got it. Go kick their asses," Gisela said.

Issei looked at the stairs and sighed. He made his way up and stood outside Irina's room. He knocked gently and his heart clenched when he heard her silent sobs.

"Irina, it's me," Issei said.

"Go away!"

"Please let me talk to you," Issei said.

"I have nothing to say to you! If you're so ready to run off and die then go!" she yelled.

"I'm not leaving until we talk," Issei said, standing outside her door. Footsteps could be heard and the door opened slowly. Irina looked at Issei with tear-filled eyes.

"Irina…"

"Don't go!" she begged.

"I have to. To keep you guys safe," Issei said.

"But I don't want to lose you again," Irina said.

"You won't. I'll be back," Issei reassured her with a smile.

"Swear to me," Irina said firmly.

"I- Irina?" Issei took a step back as she moved in on him.

"Swear to me that you'll come back to me," she said.

"I swear," Issei said.

It was then that Irina did something completely unexpected. She leaned in and planted her lips on Issei's. Issei's eyes went wide as a spark coursed through him. Irina kept her lips on Issei and began to get nervous when he didn't do anything. She was about to pull out when Issei wrapped his arms around her waist and deepened the kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck and the two kept their lips locked together for a few minutes before pulling away, a trail of saliva still connecting them.

"I.. wow," Issei said.

Irina giggled at Issei's words and smiled.

"I like you Issei," she said.

"I- I like you too, Irina," Issei said.

"When you get back, you owe me a date for stealing my first kiss," Irina said.

"What!? You stole mine!" Issei said, accusingly.

"We stole each other's," she said.

"Yeah, we did. I swear I'll be back for our date," Issei said.

"Be careful," Irina said as Issei pulled out of their embrace.

"I will," he replied. He smiled at her before the two went downstairs to the living room. Upon arriving, they saw Gisela and Raynare handing Asia a large amount of money. Said girl was snickering sinisterly as she counted the cash.

"Did we miss something?" Issei asked.

"You! You made me lose! I thought you were going to confess first!" Gisela yelled.

"Yeah what the hell!" Raynare said.

"You guys were betting on our relationship?" Irina asked.

"Yup and I'm 500 yen richer for it," Asia said.

"I'm not even going to entertain this. I'm just going to go," Issei said.

"Be careful," Irina reminded him one last time.

"I will," Issei said as a golden light began to cover his entire form. The light expanded outwards forming a perfect sphere covering Issei entirely before suddenly collapsing in on itself and vanishing.

"He'll be fine. The man's a roach," Gisela said, reassuring her.

"Yeah," Irina said, her eyes continuing to stare at the spot where Issei once stood.

* * *

**Unknown Location**

* * *

"How many do we need to complete them?" A short, bespectacled elderly man with gray hair, a mustache, black eyes turned to see a tall man with long dark hair. He had blood-red eyes and extremely pale skin. He wore black robes with a high collar and had gold and violet accents decorating them. His most prominent features were his elvish ears.

"K- Kokabiel-sama!" the man said.

"Well, Valper?" Kokabiel demanded.

"We just need Blessing, Transparency, Mimic, and Destruction in order to create a new Excalibur. We can't get Ruler since no one knows where it is," Valper said.

"Hmm, and do you have any progress tracking down the two?" Kokabiel looked at Valper's plans and several maps as well as images of four people. One was a girl with chestnut brown hair. The other was of a girl with blue hair and yellow eyes and the last was of a silver-haired man with yellow eyes and a girl with violet hair and violet eyes.

"I believe that these three are confirmed wielders of the fragments. The last one I'm not so sure. She was excommunicated from the church for defending a witch and around the same time, Excalibur Mimic went missing so it's possible that she took it," Valper said.

"Good, do you know where they're headed?" Kokabiel asked.

"Kuoh."

"I love it when coincidences line up in our favor. Not only are three Excalibur Fragment wielders heading to Kuoh but there is a fourth their as well as the siblings of the current Maou. I guess we can kill two birds with one stone," Kokabiel said.

"I believe that I can help you with that," a voice called out. Kokabiel whirled around.

"Oh, and who are you?" he said. From the shadows, a man walked out, well man is a relative term. He seemed to be more metal than man. He had shoulder-length brown hair styled in dreadlocks. On his chin was a light stubble. He wore dark robes with metallic armaments on the chest and shoulder. His right arm, which was revealed, was made entirely of metal and had violet energy coursing through it.

"My name is not important but what I can provide is," he said, his eyes flashing a deep violet color.

"Oh, and what can you give us?" Kokabiel said, sizing the man.

"Assistance," he said.

"How sure are you that this assistance of yours can help us?" Valper asked.

The man snapped his fingers and a woman walked out of the shadows. She was wearing a tight leather sleeveless outfit with metallic armor covering her chest and abdomen. Her long black hair was tied in a ponytail and she looked at them with an insane smile.

"This is Sifa Grent, an associate of mine. I can assure you that she can defeat your strongest soldier," the man boasted.

"Freed!" Kokabiel called.

"You called," Freed said, walking into the room.

"Attack her," Kokabiel ordered, pointing at Sifa.

Freed looked at the woman and smirked.

"Okay," he said. Without warning, Freed appeared in front of Sifa with a light sword raised, ready to slice her in half. Sifa raised a hand and caught Freed by the throat. A red glow began to surround her fingers and Freed's eyes widened when he felt his life begin to leave him.

"Sifa, that's enough," the man ordered. Sifa pouted before dropping Freed to the ground.

"At least let me have some fun," she said.

"I believe that that's a good enough demonstration?" he asked. Kokabiel looked at the two before thinking about his offer. Acting suddenly, Kokabiel formed a large light spear and threw it at the two. The mysterious man raised his arm and halted Kokabiel's spear in midair before turning it around and firing it back at him. Kokabiel dodged and the spear curved upward, bursting through the roof and detonating in the sky above.

"How's that?" the man asked.

"I think we have a deal," Kokabiel said.

"Good. I need to report back to my master. Sifa. Be good," he said. The man glowed violet for a few seconds before violently imploding into a small dark spark.

"This will be interesting," Kokabiel said as he stared at the woman, who was now interacting with Freed.

* * *

**Zendikar**

* * *

Issei arrived in a flash of golden light. Zendikar. He had been here only a few times on a blind jump and found that he rather liked the plane. He manifested his angelic wings and took off into the sky. It was still the same as when he left. The lush forests of Zendikar stretched on for several hundred miles while floating islands decorated the skies. Birds flew in flocks, congregating in the treeline before taking off once more. The sounds of animals soothed Issei as he looked up at the massive structures. The hedrons set up by Ugin, Sorin, and Nahiri still dotted the Zendekari skyline. In the distance, massive maelstroms of pure mana rampaged on the coastline.

"Ah the Roil," Issei mused. A pulse of unnatural energy alerted him and he quickly turned. His eyes widened when he saw it. A massive creature with a featureless bony mask for a face stood a few hundred feet from him. Its body possessed numerous writhing tentacles and its four arms hung from its side. The being turned its faceless gaze on Issei.

"Well shit," Issei said.

* * *

**Review Replies:**

**Darkscythe Drake: Amazing chapter and great finisher with cyclonic rift. But what did Issei exactly do with that folder?**

**He just left it out for Grayfia to find.**

**ChimaTigon: Are you going to give Issei an unwanted/unintended harem?**

**Hmm, I'm not intending to but from our current trajectory, it might happen. It'll still be a single pairing just a lot of annoyances in between the two.**

**Just a Bad Writer For Fun: Nice chapter amigo.**

**Thanks, buddy.**

**TheDisturbedDragon: Welp, Riser got stomped. I've enjoyed this story so far, it's one of the few MTG stories that I've read that doesn't over-rely on OP summons and green buffs.**

**You've earned this fav/follow!**

**Aww, thank you! I do find it kind of annoying when people tend to write a green master-race story like other colors don't have any benefits. Spells are great too if you know how to incorporate them and not just rely on summons and buffs people.**

* * *

**So that's that. Who was the mysterious man who interacted with Kokabiel? Will Issei ever survive Zendikar and make it back to Earth? And why did Irina confess now of all times? Well, I can answer that one. I intended to have her confess at the end of the Riser Arc. Will Rias ever get the trust of her brother back? And will Koko puff succeed with his plans to get all the Glow sticks back together? Find out next time on the new arc of Dragon Ball Su- I mean Beyond the Gap! Leave a review if you want to see Issei fight the Eldrazi and maybe join the Gatewatch. Also, Follow and Fav! And remember, to have a great day/night or not, the choice is yours!**


	11. Zendikar

**Okay. I got you all another chapter to celebrate the beginning of the Koko Puff and Eldrazi Arc. This is the official first chapter of the new arc. Well, without further ado, let us begin this chapter!**

**I don't own Highschool DxD or Magic: The Gathering.**

* * *

**[Ddraig talking]**

_**[Ddraig thinking]**_

**{Albion talking}**

_**{Albion thinking}**_

_Mental Communication_

"Regular Dialogue"

**Attacks/Spells**

* * *

Issei twisted his body out of the way as one of the being's four arms shot out to grab him. He didn't have any time to breathe as another appendage made to grab him. Issei formed a small ball of light in his hand and fired it and the Eldrazi's head, causing it to stumble back a little.

**[Partner! Use me!]** Ddraig said.

Issei nodded and a green glow enveloped his left arm.

**[Dragon Booster]** Ddraig announced.

**[Boost]** Issei felt a rush of power course through him as he flew towards the Eldrazi. He held his left hand out and Godsend manifested in a flash of white light. He reached the Eldrazi and swung the blade at one of its arms slicing it off.

**[Boost]**

Issei formed a massive sphere of white mana in his right arm and raised it into the sky. An upside-down omega symbol appeared in the sky as Issei stood still and waited for the Eldrazi to attack and attack it did. The beast stretched its four arms towards Issei and Issei directed his boosts to his speed, allowing him to react quickly and dodge the arms.

"**Rebuke**," Issei said as he pointed the symbol towards the Eldrazi. The Eldrazi writhed as white cracks of yellowish-white light began to form all over its body. It took a few steps back before arching its back, its bony face facing the skies and it exploded in a violent wave of white mana. The shockwave traveled throughout the immediate area shaking all the trees and causing every animal to flee.

Issei hovered over the destroyed remains of the Eldrazi.

"This is bad," he said.

**[We need to go find them now]** Ddraig said.

"Already on it," Issei said as he flapped his wings and flew off in the direction of the Hedron Network.

* * *

**Kuoh Academy, 8:30 AM**

* * *

Irina stood in front of the mirror in her room brushing her long hair. She sighed and wondered why she decided to grow it out in the first place. Issei didn't even know she was a boy until she left for Europe and she lost contact with him. Irina always assumed Issei liked girls with long hair.

Satisfied with her appearance, Irina grabbed her bag and walked out of the door. She walked downstairs to see Gisela still there and Asia and Raynare missing.

"Where are they?" Irina asked.

"We're here," Asia made her presence known as she descended the stairs.

"Let's go," Raynare said.

The four girls walked out of the house and began walking to school. On the way, they were intercepted by Murayama and Matsuda who asked them where Issei was. Irina whispered into Raynare's ear if they knew that Issei was a planeswalker to which she shook her head.

"Issei was called back to Ireland for something," Gisela told them.

"Oh? Then that means that Irina is in charge of everything today," Murayama said.

"Yeah, I guess I am," Irina replied with a smile.

As the six made their way to school, they talked, mostly about what spells they would learn today or try to learn. Asia regaled them of tales of how she was able to learn several summoning spells and healing spells over the last ten days and the two applauded her for her skill. Matsuda commented that she was the next Merlin to which Asia replied that she wasn't with an embarrassed blush on her face. When they arrived at Kuoh, they spotted Motohama with a depressed look on his face and a large crowd of girls gathered at the front gates. Katase stood next to him, looking at him as if he was dirt.

"What's wrong?" Irina asked.

"Matsudaaaa! We're doomed!" Motohama said, grabbing Matsuda's shirt.

"W- What?" Matsuda said. Motohama pointed to the entrance and they all saw what the female populace of Kuoh was clamoring about. Rias stood at the center with an annoyed look on her face while Sairaorg was waving at all of them with an unnerved look on his face. His violet eyes traveled across the crowd and lit up when he spotted Irina and Asia.

"I'm sorry, I have to talk to a few friends of mine. Let's go Rias," Sairaorg said and grabbed her arm.

"Oh? Yes! Now shoo!" Rias said with an annoyed glare.

Sairaorg and Rias walked over to the group and Sairaorg began to look for Issei among them.

"So, where is Issei-san?" Sairaorg asked.

"He got called back to Ireland," Gisela answered. Rias's eyes widened. Ireland was the codeword for Issei went dimension hopping for some business. Rias nodded and left it at that.

"Sairaorg, let's go. We need to get you to our class. Sairaorg?" Rias turned to see her cousin frozen.

Sairaorg just stood there, staring at this angelic, crimson-haired goddess in front of him. His eyes traveled all over her, drinking in the sight. Her azure blue eyes that looked like the endless sky. Her fair skin. Her slender, curvy figure and her long legs. Her luscious long crimson hair. The woman looked at him and slightly tilted her head.

"Um, are you okay?" her angelic voice sent electrical sparks running down his spine and his heart skipped a beat.

"Y- Yeah," Sairaorg stuttered. "Hi, my Sairaorg is nam-! My name is Sairaorg Bael."

The woman smiled and the world seemed to get brighter as she did.

"Gisela. My name is Gisela Markov," she said.

Rias looked between Gisela and Sairaorg and her face adopted a sly smile.

"Come on, Gisela, Sairaorg. We need to get to class. I'm sure that Kuisha and Tsubaki are waiting for us," Rias said.

"Yes, let's go Sairaorg-san," Gisela said.

"Y- Yeah," Sairaorg said.

Asia looked at Rias, who sent her a wink and Asia immediately understood. Her ahoge stood up and she grinned. Irina and Raynare looked at her wondering what the hell was going on. Waving them off, the group walked inside.

* * *

**Zendikar**

* * *

Issei flew through the Zendikari skies, looking over the devastation that the Eldrazi had left in their wake. The land was snow white. The trees were white husks, completely devoid of all life. Animals that tried to flee from their all-consuming wrath were seen frozen in time. Their bodies had become marble statues that captured their terror and need to live.

"Fuck," Issei said as he saw the ruined town.

**[Yeah…]** Ddraig agreed. The town lay in ruins and Issei landed atop the ruined tower.

"Elves," Issei said as he looked down at a mass of white bodies, like the animals at the forest a few thousand meters from the town. The entire town's populace was dead, drained of life. The ground was also drained of mana but instead looked like a white coral-like skeleton. The same structures covered the bodies. Issei hopped down from the tower and landed in the town circle. Issei spotted a group of three elves and guessed that the two that were hunched over the smaller figure were the small one's parents.

A snapping sound alerted Issei and he summoned the Boosted Gear and Godsend.

"Woah, it's just me," he sighed when he saw that it was just Chandra.

"It's fucked up, isn't it. They didn't even have a chance to fight back," she said as she stared over the bodies.

"Yeah," Issei said, looking over at them.

"Let's go. Jace said that he would meet us over Ally Encampment. Gideon and Nissa are there waiting for us," Chandra said. She summoned flames and took into the sky in a jet of flames.

Issei manifested his wings and flew off after her. The two rocketed across the Zendikari skies at a rapid speed.

"So, who else is here?" Issei asked.

"Jace tried to reach out to Sorin but Sorin wouldn't answer his calls. Ugin is here as well and he's rebuilding the Eye," Chandra said.

"How did Jace get all this out? I don't remember other planeswalkers having an Armillary Spheres unless they visited Esper or Ravnica," Issei mentioned.

"When I got here, they were in the hands of a demon, Ob Nixilis," Chandra said.

"Who's he?" Issei asked.

"He used to be a human but lost his spark and used the Khalni Heart to reignite his spark," Chandra said. " I arrived just in time to save them," she said.

"Who else is there?" Issei asked.

"Kiora," at her words, Issei's mana flared violently and an angered look made its way onto his face.

"Issei, calm down," she said.

"Bu-"

"Look, I know you have a history with her on Theros but we need her help right now," Chandra said.

Issei nodded and poured more mana into his wings, causing them to grow larger and he flapped them strongly and increased his speed.

Chandra sighed and poured more fire, turning into a flaming comet.

* * *

**Ally Encampment**

* * *

Jace stood at the tables and discussed plans while poring over maps. Next to him was a man with shoulder-length black hair. He had light brown skin and a small beard decorated his chin. He wore white and blue armor and he talked in a baritone voice to Jace.

"Hmm, do we have any idea where the Titans are, as of the moment?" he asked.

"We have Ula accounted for. He's by the coast in a battle against the Roil Elementals but they're losing badly," a woman said. She had blue skin and fish-like features. She wore brown armor that exposed her shoulders. In her right hand was a bident that had the appearance of the night sky.

"Kosi is in the mountains," another woman said. She had long black hair, styled in a braided ponytail. There were black tribal markings in her face and her green eyes looked sharply over at the man.

"Gideon, where is Chandra?" she asked.

"She went out to get someone Jace called here. Why Nissa?" Gideon said.

"She's been gone for a while. I'm worried she might have gone and picked a fight with one of the titans," Nissa said.

"Sir!" a man with snow-white skin and white hair walked into the tent. Gideon looked at him.

"Yes?"

"Miss Chandra has returned and she brought someone with her," he said.

"Thank you. Let her in," he said. The man nodded and he walked out of the tent. A few minutes later, Chandra entered the tent with Issei. Jace sent her a smile and Chandra returned one of her own. Issei looked between the two and gagged. His eyes traveled around the tent and spotted the piscine woman.

"You!" Issei said, summoning Godsend. The woman reacted and twirled the bident and pointed it at Issei.

Everyone in the tent reacted and got between the two.

"Issei, calm down!" Chandra said.

"Why!? That Mer bitch needs to pay for what she's done!" Issei said, his eyes glowing gold.

"I know that Kiora made your travels on Theros harder but we need her. She has the weapon of a God and that'll be useful in fighting the Eldrazi," Jace said. His eyes glowed blue and sent out a pulse of blue mana.

Issei calmed down and stood off to the side.

"Fine," Issei said, unsummoning Godsend.

"Good, now we need to get our shit together. The Eldrazi are rampaging throughout the entire plane. I spoke with Ugin and he said that the Hedron Network could be used to seal them away but… what if we can use the Hedrons to kill them?" Jace said.

"How? The Hedrons were designed to bin-!" Issei realized what they were trying to do.

"Yes, we'll use the Hedrons to bind them but only enough to bind them," Jace said.

"Then how will we kill them?" Issei asked.

"Leylines," Chandra said. "We use the leylines. Jace said that we use the leylines and draw the titans into the leylines. And we disperse their energy there," she said.

"You want to assimilate them into the plane?" Issei clarified.

"Yes, with their massive amounts of mana, the plane will begin to restore itself," Nissa told him.

"Okay, how do we go about doing this?" Issei asked.

"We need bait," Gideon said.

Issei sat on one of the floating hedrons and traced his hand over the runes that decorated the superstructure.

**[Partner. Their plan… it will work] **Ddraig said.

"_I don't know. Ugin always said that the Eldrazi were part of the Multiverse. What will happen if they kill the Titans?" _Issei said.

**[I don't know]** Ddraig said.

"_I'm more worried about what will happen if they escape. I- I can't let them escape so we have no choice but to kill them and deal with what comes after later_," Issei replied.

**[We have company]** Ddraig told him. Issei turned and saw Jace walking over to him. In his bag was a familiar looking bag. Dragon Tarts. Tossing the bag over to Issei, Jace sat down next to him.

"I'm sorry to pull you away from your friends like that," Jace said.

"It's okay. I'm doing this to protect them," Issei said.

"Hmm, Issei, tell me honestly. You've been with Ugin and have known him longer than I have so do you think this plan will work?" Jace asked.

"I don't know. The Hedrons are powered by the Leylines and are designed to keep the Eldrazi here," Issei said. "To do this, we'll have to cut power from the leylines for our plan to work," Issei said.

"I see," Jace said, looking down at the camp. He spotted Gideon laughing and drinking with a woman with brown hair and armor. She had a halo around her head that protected her from the corruptive aura of the Eldrazi. She was Tarzi, a general and Gideon's trusted advisor in this campaign.

"We formed a group," Jace said.

"A group?"

"One designed to deal with threats like the Eldrazi," Jace informed him, holding his hand up. Blue wisps of energy appeared and projected an image in front of Issei. Issei saw the four gathered together and defeating a demonic being, forcing him to flee in a series of black flames.

He saw them all swearing an oath to each other. To keep watch.

"I-"

"You don't need to make a choice now," Jace said. "The offer will always be there for you to take up."

Jace stood up, his cloak billowing in the wind. He looked down at Issei, who was still staring off into the distance.

"You should get some rest. We have a lot of work to do tomorrow," Jace said, walking off. Issei glanced at his retreating figure and sighed. Hopping down from the Hedron, Issei made his way to his assigned tent in the camp. On the way, he bumped into someone.

"You," Issei growled.

"Watch it, kid," Kiora said and walked off.

"You need to keep it down," he turned and saw Nissa leaning against one of the posts. The fires made her look ethereal and her green eyes look entrancing.

"Yeah," Issei said.

"Did Jace tell you about?" she asked.

"Yeah," Issei said.

"And?"

"I haven't made my decision yet," Issei said.

"I see. It's alright. I know it's a lot to digest," Nissa said. "Go get some rest," she said, patting his shoulder.

Issei sighed and went inside his tent. He climbed on to the bed with animal skins and laid down. His mind flew back to Earth and wondered what the others were doing and how they were. Reassuring himself, Issei drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

**Kuoh Academy, 5:00 PM, Fantasy Literature Club**

* * *

Irina sat on one of the beanbag chairs with a large stack fo books next to her. All of them were on one topic. The Eldrazi. Footsteps to her right alerted her to the presence of someone. Her violet eyes looked up from her book and saw Rias standing in front of her.

"So, where's Issei?" Rias said, grabbing a beanbag chair and sitting down.

"Zendikar," Irina responded.

"Hmmm," Rias said. She looked at the stacks of books next to Irina and grabbed one.

"Eldrazi?" she questioned.

"Yeah, Issei went to go and fight them," Irina told her.

"Well, if it's Issei, then he should be fine," Rias said, reassuring Irina.

"From the way, he talked about them, I can't help but feel worried about him," Irina confessed.

"What are they anyway? The Eldrazi I mean," Rias asked her.

"From what I've read, the Eldrazi are extradimensional entities that can only be likened to the Outer Gods from Lovecraft. They originated from the Blind Eternities, the void between dimensions," Irina told her. "Their sole purpose is to consume worlds, draining them of mana until the world shatters and is destroyed."

"And Issei went to go and fight them," Rias asked.

"Yeah," she said.

"What if they come here? From what you describe, it seems like there's no way we can win," Rias said.

"Issei said that they were sealed and trapped on Zendikar but if they manage to destroy the plane, they'll be free to travel from universe to universe again to feed," Irina told her.

Rias looked at her and down to the book on the Eldrazi that she was holding. She opened it and found herself drawn to three in particular.

"Emrakul, the Aeons Torn. Kozilek, the Butcher of Truth, and Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger," Rias muttered.

"The three Eldrazi Titans," Irina said. "Emrakul is the Titan of Corruption. She warps the biology of all things living and twists entire worlds to her will. Kozilek warps reality. Truth becomes lies. Lies become truth. Ulamog warps the Physical World. Physics and its laws become Ulamog's bitch. They are the head honchos and the most powerful Eldrazi ever known. Between the three, they are the sole reason that the Eldrazi are such a threat throughout the Multiverse," she explained as she read from her book.

Rias looked down at Irina's explanation. She flipped the page and saw a sketch of one of them. It was impossibly large, larger than the mountains around it. It had no face. Just a complex orifice in place of its head. It was humanoid in appearance and its body seemed to be covered in a dark exoskeleton with a mess of eyes decorating it. In the place of legs were a mass of writhing tentacles, at least that's what the artist wanted to capture.

Rias read the description of the being at the bottom.

"To the Merfolk of Zendikar, it is now known as Cosi, the Trickster God and the God of the Land. To the Kor, it is Talib, the God of the Earth. But to those who remember such as I, it is known as Kozilek. Nahiri," Rias read.

The door opened causing the two to jump a little.

"Jeez, are you two okay?" Sairaorg said as he and Kuisha walked in alongside a group of other people. Irina noticed that they were all holding pieces of paper in their hands. She stood up and walked over to her desk. In Issei's absence, they had all agreed that Irina would be the acting president and Murayama would become the VP. It was a mutual agreement as Gisela could care less about being a leader and found it nice to have a break.

"Oh, Sairaorg, are those…?" Irina asked.

"Applications? Yes. I figured it would be much easier to join an existing club than to make one of our own and figured that this one was a good choice," he said, handing her his application.

Irina looked down at the application and read it over. She took out a small stamp from the desk and placed it on the paper.

"Welcome to the Literature Club," Irina said, handing him back his application. Kuisha handed her her application and Irina stamped it and handed it back.

Next, a woman with blonde hair and hazel eyes walked up to Irina and got her application stamped, followed by a boy with green hair and violet eyes. After the two, a man with blonde hair and silver eyes walked up with an application and then a brown-haired man with blue eyes and an orange-haired boy with brown eyes turned in their applications. Irina stamped all of them with great speed and handed them all back.

"Is that all?" Irina asked them, placing the stamp back in the drawer.

"Yes, I believe that's it. The rest of my peerage preferred not to come to school," Sairaorg said. Irina smiled and nodded.

"You can stay if you want. The other members are off with other obligations but you're welcome to stay and read," she said as she continued to read her book.

Sairarog nodded and pulled up a beanbag chair and sat next to Rias, who was deeply engrossed in her book. He looked over and read the title.

"Eldrazi?" Sairaorg questioned. Rias looked at him and slowly closed her book.

"Oh yeah, it's a fictional creature from Issei's hometown," Rias said. "It's from a book series."

"Really? That's interesting," Sairaorg said. The green-haired boy came running over to Sairaorg holding a stack of books.

"Sairaorg, look at all these books on magic!" he said.

"I can see that Misteeta," Sairaorg said. Kuisha took one of the books from the boy and sat down next to Sairaorg.

"The Basics of Mana Color Typing?" Kuisha read. "Is this a new form of magic, Irina-san?" Kuisha asked Irina.

"Yes and no, the mages that rescued Issei have been practicing that sort of magic since the Great War," Irina told them. "Issei is teaching me how to use it," she said, raising her hand and causing wisps of white and blue energy to form on her fingertips.

"Where is Issei's hometown? Or the town he lived in after the deaths of his parents?" Sairaorg asked.

"It's in Ireland," Irina told them.

"Ah," Sairorg said.

* * *

**Zendikar**

* * *

Issei walked out of his tent and stretched his arms. He arched his back and felt his spine pop, sending a feeling of satisfaction coursing through his body.

"Yeah, nothing more satisfying than popping your spine," Issei said as he stretched his arms.

He looked up and saw Chandra and Gideon cooking breakfast alongside some of the other troops. Hearing his stomach growl, Issei walked over to them and grabbed a bowl. Gideon looked up and saw Issei and grinned.

"Hey, kid. Hungry?" the man asked as he held up the ladle.

"Yeah, what's for breakfast?" Issei asked.

"Whatever we could grab," Chandra said, gesturing to the massive downed bird a few feet away. Several Kor were there carving the massive bird up and bringing the pieces over to Chandra and Gideon who were in the process of grilling and turning the bird into barbeque and soup.

"I'll take some of that," Issei said, holding up his bowl. Gideon scooped up some of the soup and poured it into Issei's bowl.

"What are we doing today?" Issei asked him as he ate.

"We're going to try and find as many people as we can to join in on this," Gideon told him.

"That's going to be hard. How many do we have so far?" Issei asked.

"Not enough," Chandra told him.

"How many do we need?" Issei said.

"A lot. With you here, we can probably get the angels and the dragons of Zendikar to join us. Are you still in touch with some of Zenidkar's angels?" Chandra asked him.

"Yeah. I'm still in contact with Linvala and Iona," Issei said. "As for Dragons, I can summon them," he said.

"That's perfect. Jace and Nissa left this morning to try and get more elf tribes to come and join us in our plan while Kiora went to go and rally the Merfolk. Chandra and I are staying here to look after and stir the Kor. Would you be okay in going and looking for Linvala and Iona?" Gideon asked him.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," Issei said.

"Good, after you finish breakfast, you can go and find the angels," Chandra told him. "But, please be careful Issei."

"I will," he said as he downed more of the soup. After he finished, Issei went to go get changed into something more comfortable. He summoned his clothing and walked out of his tent. Issei was now wearing silver armor with gold accents over some of his clothing. His forearms were covered by vambraces and his lower legs were protected by greaves. On his chest was a silver breastplate and Issei wore Elspeth's white cloak.

"I'm off," Issei said to Chandra and Gideon.

"Remember, if you're in trouble, don't hesitate to Walk," Chandra warned him.

"Yeah," Issei said as his angelic wings manifested. With a mighty flap, Issei took off into the blue skies of Zendikar off to find the world's angels. Issei beat his wings and flew at high speeds, the landscape becoming a blur.

* * *

"_Partner. How are we even going to find them? The angels of this world aren't like the ones on Earth, Bant, Ravnica, or Innistrad_," Issei said, as he flew through the sky, skating underneath the clouds of Zendikar.

**[Hmmm, where did we see Iona the last time we were here]** Ddraig asked him.

"_She was in a forest where Emrakul is… er was sealed_," Issei said.

**[We should check there first]** Ddraig said. Issei nodded and turned towards a forest that was surrounded by a network of hedrons. He rose into the sky and divebombed into the forest. Breaking through the canopy, Issei landed on the forest floor and dispersed his wings. He summoned Godsend and Boosted Gear and began to walk, looking for any sign of Iona and her flight. Issei walked, taking in the surroundings. His senses were heightened to the max.

Without warning, Issei raised his sword and slashed the tentacle that tried to grab him. Jumping to avoid more, Issei hovered in mid-air after summoning his wings once more. Out of the bushes, a large creature floated out. Its head had a crystal lattice structure and several arms and tentacles writhed as it made its way towards Issei.

**[Boost.]**

Issei took off towards the Eldrazi. The being shot its tentacles towards Issei, which he deftly evaded. Forming a fireball in his hand, Issei threw the flaming sphere at the Eldrazi. He hit his mark as he watched the Eldrazi become engulfed in flames. He ran over and swung Godsend, killing the spawn.

"Whew," Issei said as he lowered his blade. He had no time to relax as an arm slammed down on the ground, forcing Issei to take to the skies once more. Before him, was a larger version of what he had just fought.

"Damn!" Issei said as he gripped Godsend tightly. "Oh shit."

Before Issei was an entire swarm of different sized drones all born from one of the Titans, Emrakul.

"Umm, Ddraig?"

**[Yeah]**

"I'm going to summon you now but activate the Balance Breaker first," Issei said.

**[Welsh Dragon Over Booster!]** Ddraig called. A red glow surrounded Issei as he was covered in full-body crimson armor. Its pauldron, chest, and gauntlets had a green glowing gem decorating them. Issei's eyes glowed green and he gathered a massive amount of red mana. Thrusting his palm forward, a red torrent of energy manifested in front of Issei. The torrent dispersed revealing Ddraig in all his glory. Ddraig roared at the Eldrazi as they approached.

"Are you ready?" Issei said, dropping into a stance.

**[As I'll ever be]** Ddraig said. He unlatched his jaw and unleashed a torrent of crimson flames at the swarm of drones.

**[Boost x15]** Issei raised his palm and formed a massive white ball of hyper condensed mana.

"**Reprisal**," Issei said. A massive beam of white light was unleashed from Issei's hand and pierced through several of the drones and caused them to disperse into wisps of mana.

"Ddraig behind you!" Issei yelled. Ddraig turned and caught the tentacles of one of the larger drones. He swung his tail, knocking the drone away and bathed the drone in flames. Issei appeared over the scorched drone and stabbed Godsend through its head. Issei twisted and pulled Godsend out and swung the sword, unleashing a massive wave of golden energy that obliterated a slew of drones but they just kept coming.

"Damn! How many are there!" Issei yelled.

**[Less talking! More fighting!]** Ddraig yelled as he boosted his power and punched through one of the drones.

Issei summoned a massive ball of lightning and sent it into the sky before willing it to rain down as a hail of lightning bolts that devastated the surrounding areas. Several of the bolts destroyed massive portions of the forest as well as piercing through some of the Eldrazi drones.

**[Boost x50]** Issei formed a massive ball of flames in one hand and a massive ball of white energy in the other and fired them. The beams disintegrated a large number of the drones and slammed through several mountains before exploding in the distance, destroying a large portion of Zendikar's forest.

At this point, the wildlife had begun to flee. Several flocks of birds had already taken off towards the skies as the cries of all the animals that got caught in the crossfire. Issei looked at the remaining drones. At this point, their battle would last from several hours to several days and Issei did not have the stamina to stand a fight that spanned a week. Several hours to almost a day, yes, but a week on top of an endless wave of these was a big no.

**[Issei. They just keep coming]** Ddraig said as he ripped apart another drone. Ddraig had sustained a substantial amount of damage from the drones as their numbers seemingly increased.

"Damnit!" Issei roared. "Ddraig, come back to the gear! I'm going to use **Wrath of God**!" Issei said.

**[Right!]** Ddraig said as he began to form red mana. However, before he could, a massive sword was swung out of nowhere. Ddraig ducked underneath the blade and Issei quickly made for the forest floor. The blade tore apart the remaining drones and a wave traveled out due to the swing and removed the mountain tops of all surrounding mountains in the distance.

**[What just happened!?]** Ddraig yelled as he looked up.

"It's her," Issei said.

Looking at each other, Issei and Ddraig flew above the Zendikari tree line and spotted her. Before them, a massive angelic being twice Ddraig's size stood. On her back were three pairs of massive white wings that stretched out and cast a massive shadow over the forest. She wore a helmet with two floating hedrons. She wore a white dress and a silver breastplate. Her white hair billowed in the wind and her eyes were pits of orange-gold light. In her right hand was a massive broadsword that was now stained with the blood of the drones of Emrakul.

The angel looked down at Issei and Ddraig and smiled at them. She spoke in a beautiful voice filled with grace and power. As she spoke, the ground trembled slightly and the winds blew across the land.

"Issei, Ddraig, it is great to see you two once more," she said.

**[You as well]** Ddraig said as he smirked at the angel.

"Hey Iona," Issei said.

* * *

**Kuoh Academy, Occult Research Club**

* * *

Rias sat in her desk as Akeno stood off to the side, looking at a stack of papers. All of them involved reports that Rias had to turn into Sairaorg and Grayfia by the end of the week. In the clubroom, Koneko, and Kiba sat on the sofa, playing Smash on the Nintendo Switch. Ryuuji napped on the other sofa, exhausted from the training session he had with Arata earlier.

A knock on the door alerted Rias and she looked up from her work. Sensing that it was her other rook, Arata, she called for him to come in.

"Arata," Rias said as she saw him walk in. Her face morphed into one of concern when she saw the look on Arata's face.

"What's wrong?" Rias asked.

Arata's crimson orbs darted up to meet hers.

"Exorcists. There are exorcists here in Kuoh."

* * *

**Review Replies:**

**Darkscythe Drake: ****Tezzeret! Things are about to go down...**

**Yes, it was Tezzeret and that means that Nicol Bolas has taken an interest in Earth.**

**Chronos0305: Nice job, looks like Rias finally recieved karma for simply letting people die when she could have saved them. Anyway, I have read about Trihexa and this talk about Eldritch gods got me thinking, how powerful is it compared to the creatures of other planes? Also from what I have read, aren't Ophis and Great Red from the rift between dimensions. Wonder if they have any planeswalker connections. Chapter was great, although felt a bit short. Also the defeat of Riser, it was good, but I can't help but feel it was missing something. I don't know what, but I feel that way.**

**Actually, for Trihexa, it is one of the Six Manifestations of the Mana of DxD, representing Black Mana. Great Red represents Blue, not Red since he is Dreams and Illusions, and Ophis is Colorless as a reference to her being from the Gap. And the Dimensional Gap isn't part of the Blind Eternities in this fic since in DxD, it is described as the place between Earth, Heaven, and the Underworld, so the closest thing it would match in MTG would be the Nyx which is a separate realm from Physical Theros which also has an underworld. So no, Ophis and Great Red aren't from the Blind Eternities since the Dimensional Gap is part of the plane of Earth. As to how powerful they are, Trihexa, Great Red, and Ophis are as strong as other Planar Avatars since they are part of Earth's Worldsoul which I have yet to come up with a name for.**

**Just A Bad Writer For Fun:**

**You better watch out.**  
**You better not flinch.**  
**You better not run,**  
**I'm telling you why.**  
**Sairaorg Bael is coming - to Kuoh.**

**He's taking a list,**  
**He's checking it twice.**  
**He's gonna find out who's slacking or not.**  
**Sairaorg Bael is coming - to Kuoh.**

**He sees you when you're training.**  
**And he knows when you're fighting.**  
**He knows if you've been lazy or alert,**  
**So be alert for goodness sake!**

**You better watch out.**  
**You better not flinch.**  
**You better not run,**  
**I'm telling you why.**  
**Cause Sairaorg Bael is coming - to Kuoh.**

**He sees you when you're training.**  
**And he knows when you're fighting.**  
**And he knows if you've been lazy or alert,**  
**So be alert for goodness sake!**

**You better watch out.**  
**You better not flinch.**  
**You better not run,**  
**I'm telling you why.**  
**Sairaorg Bael is coming - to Kuoh.**

**You better watch out.**  
**You better not flinch.**  
**You better not run,**  
**I'm telling you why.**  
**Sairaorg Bael is coming.**

**I mean a big, beefy man with muscles on muscles.**  
**He's coming - to Kuoh.**

**Ummmmm, hashire sori yo. Kaze no yo ni. Tsukimihara wo! PADORU PADORU!**

* * *

**Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter! Review this chapter! PLEASE! Also, follow and fav if you enjoyed it! Remember have a great day/night or not, the choice is yours!**


	12. Big Trouble in Little Kuoh

**Welcome to the next chapter of Beyond the Gap. Just to clarify, we are in a new Arc. This is the Zendikar/Kokabiel arc and we will see the beginnings of the interference of planeswalkers other than Issei within the DxD world. I know that you all saw Sifa and some of you recognized Tezzret immediately. So without further notice, let's get on with it.**

**I don't own Highschool DxD or Magic the Gathering. Ichiei Ishibumi and Wizards of the Coast do.**

* * *

**[Ddraig talking]**

_**[Ddraig thinking]**_

_Mental Communication_

"Regular Dialogue"

**Attacks/Spells**

* * *

**Zendikar**

* * *

"Iona! It's so good to see you!" Issei said as he stared up at the massive angel's face. Iona smiled as her golden eyes bore down onto him and Ddraig.

"It has been a while hasn't it, Issei?" Iona said, her white hair blew gently in the breeze.

"Too long," he said.

**[Wow, yeah, just ignore the fact that I exist why don't you]** Ddraig said as he shifted from his large dragon form to his small one. He landed on top of Issei's hair and sat down.

"I, of course, could never forget about you, Ddraig. We did fight several Roil Elementals together during Issei's first visit here and he got hurt during his time among the Kor," Iona said.

**[Heh! Oh yeah! Partner, you were such a noob back then!]** Ddraig barked as he laughed hysterically. Issei grabbed him by the scruff and began to put Ddraig in a chokehold.

"You damn baka red!" Issei yelled.

**[ACK! Let me go you psychotic man child!]** Ddraig said.

Iona laughed at their interaction. They were just like before when Issei was still a kid. Zendikar was Issei's first conscious walk. He ended up here purely by chance during a blind jump across the Blind Eternities.

"So, I assume that you're here about them," Iona said, gesturing to the corpses of the Eldrazi around them. Issei and Ddraig stopped their antics and looked up at her. It was only now that Issei saw how this new war had taken its toll on her. She looked tired. Extremely so.

"Yeah, we came to help," Issei said.

"I see. I thank you. I assume that you need my help with this?" Iona said.

"Yeah. Some others that are like me are assembling this plane's people to rally them against Eldrazi. Can we count on you and your flight in this war, Iona? Not that I don't doubt that you will help us but the others, they just want your assistance," Issei said.

"Hmmm, you can count on me for this war. I've been helping to fight the Eldrazi longer than those Planeswalkers who arrived here recently. I know all too well the threat they pose to this world Issei," Iona said. Issei nodded.

"Do you know where Linvala is?" Issei asked.

"Linvala has been off following after Ula and saving people that were left devastated in his path of destruction. I can assist you in this," Iona said.

"For now, you should stay here and help anyone who are attacked by the Eldrazi. We'll need all the help for this we can get. I'll summon you when we're ready," Issei said as wings burst from his back.

"What plan do you have to deal with the Eldrazi?" Iona said as Issei hovered in the air in front of her.

"We're planning to use the Hedron Network to bind them and draw them into the Leylines, dispersing their essence and assimilating them into the plane so it can heal. With the amount of energy that they possess between the three of them, Zendikar should be restored to its full status," Issei explained.

"I see. Linvala is out west of this location. If you follow Ula's trail of destruction, you should be able to find her within the day, a few days at most," Iona said.

"Thank you," Issei said.

"Issei," Iona called.

"You and Ddraig be careful. If you see Ula, run for it," she said.

Issei and Ddraig nodded before they flew off into the distance.

* * *

**Kuoh Academy**

* * *

Irina was bored. Extremely bored. Asia had left earlier that week to go to Innistrad for some "errands" as she called it. Next to her, Raynare began to doze off as she struggled to stay awake. Seriously, why did those two have to run off on an interdimensional adventure?

The teacher droned on and on about supply and demand as well as the long run and short run. Irina wondered why she even came to school that day. It's not like they ever needed to know how the long run will affect supply and demand when they graduate from high school and beyond. Eventually, like Raynare, Irina began to doze off and just as she was about to fall into the warm, sweet embrace of sleep, the bell rang.

_Praise Jesus! School's over!_ Irina said as she began to shove her books inside of her bag. Raynare was sound asleep next to her, drool was coming out of her mouth. Irina placed a hand on her shoulder and gently shook her awake.

"Yuuma. Yuuma!" Irina said.

"Munya~ Heh, Irina? What… time is it?" Raynare asked groggily.

"School's over," Irina said.

"Oh, well, let's go to the club room then," Raynare said, standing up and packing her things.

Irina and Raynare began to walk to the club room, chatting about their day. As Irina passed a window, a flash of blue made her freeze and caught her eyes. She ran over to the window and looked out. Her eyes widened when she saw _them_. What the hell were they doing here? Were they sent after her? For Asia?

Raynare looked at Irina with a worried gaze. The girl's rage and fear were palpable and judging from Irina's shaking form, Raynare deduced that her friend had seen something that made her this way.

"Ummm, Irina?" Raynare placed a hand on her shoulder. Irina visibly calmed as she breathed in and out to calm her nerves. They hadn't seen her yet and Asia was off-world so the chances of them finding out that they were here were nearly zero.

"Let's just go to the club room," Irina said. Irina walked off, leaving a confused Raynare standing by the window. Raynare glanced out the window to see what got Irina all worked up and saw three people. One with blue hair, one with violet hair, and one with silver hair. Her eyes narrowed.

"Exorcists," Raynare said. She turned and ran off to catch up to Irina.

* * *

Rias sat patiently in her office, sipping tea and reading a book she had borrowed from the literature club. She was intrigued the more and more she read. The way other worlds applied magic to their everyday lives and how they blended it with technology was so interesting. Maybe she could one day employ some of the things she learned from these books into Devil Society. The position of Maou Beelzebub began to look more and more appealing to her by the minute.

"Rias Beelzebub," she said, smiling.

Another thought crossed into her mind. The exorcists. She had sent Kiba and Arata to go retrieve them. Mainly she sent Arata to keep Kiba from doing anything stupid. Anything that had to do with the church got Kiba worked up.

Rias sighed. She wished she could be like Issei and Asia, hopping from world to world having adventures that most devils could only dream of. A knock on the door brought her out of her dreams as she said for them to come in.

The door opened and Kiba and Arata walked in followed by three people. The first was a girl. She had blue hair reaching down to her chin and framing her jaw. She had yellow eyes and one of the locks on her hair was dyed green. She wore a white cloak over a black, skin-tight, short sleeve leotard with pauldrons, matching fingerless gloves that extend to her biceps, and thigh-high boots, all of which are adorned with straps.

_She looks kinda like Earth-chan… and that's how you know you've been spending too much time on Reddit, Rias,_ Rias thought as she analyzed the next one.

This one was male. He was tall with white hair. His eyes were hazel gold and he wore black armor with violet accents over a black sweater and pants as well as a violet shoulder cape. There was also a purple waist cape attached to the fauld of his armor that went down past his thighs.

The final person was a female. She had violet hair styled in a similar fashion to the male's. Her fringe covered her right eye. She wore black armor over a skintight black suit similar to Xenovia's. She had black gauntlets with sleeves reaching up to her bicep. She also wore black and violet armored boots with a right garter on her right thigh. Of the three, she looked the most nervous.

The male stepped forward and introduced himself. "Greetings heiress Gremory, I was directed here by one of the devils in this town. My name is Galahad Du Lac. This is my sister, Mashu Du Lac, and our comrade, Xenovia Quarta," he said, gesturing to the purple and blue-haired girls respectively. The blue-haired girl, Xenovia, looked away in disdain while Mashu bowed respectfully.

"No, it's my pleasure to meet you. I am Rias Gremory, this is my Queen, Akeno Himejima," Rias said, gesturing to Akeno. "I'm more than aware that you are familiar with my knight, Yuuto Kiba, and my rook, Arata Minami."

Galahad nodded.

"I believe that we should get on with the nature of our meeting as it pertains to why we are here," Galahad said.

"I believe we should, however, I am no longer in charge of this town. The current administrators of this town are my cousin, Sairaorg Bael, and the heiress of the Sitri Family, Sona Sitri," Rias told him.

"But, we are already here before you. I trust that you will relay the information to them?" Galahad asked.

Rias nodded but spoke up. "I implore you to wait for a few minutes while my Queen fetches either my cousin or Heiress Sitri," Rias said.

"Very well. Before we sit, may I ask if you have any food? My sister and teammate haven't eaten since we have arrived here," Galahad said.

"Of course, Arata, if you will," Rias said. Arata nodded and retreated into the kitchen where he and Akeno made the tea and snacks.

"Akeno. Please go get either Sona or Sairaorg. Whoever is free is fine," Rias said.

Akeno nodded and exited the room.

* * *

Irina sat at her desk filling out a stack of paperwork while Raynare and Murayama helped her. Irina placed the pen down and rubbed her temples and sighed. It had been three days since Issei had left and she was already worried.

"Irina, Issei will be fine. Whatever he was called to do, he can do it," Murayama said as she handed Irina another sheet.

"I know. I just worry sometimes. Issei wasn't exactly the most careful kid," Irina said.

"I could say the same for you. Both of you were reckless," Murayama mused.

"I wasn't that reckless," Irina pouted.

"What did she do as a kid?" Raynare asked as she filed another sheet.

"Well, there was this one time she and Issei dove into the river because they had this bright idea that you could fish by swimming after said fish and grabbing them," Murayama remembered.

"Did it work?" Raynare asked.

"It did. They caught five fish," Murayama said.

"And you and Matsuda thought we were idiots," Irina said.

"What do you think Sairaorg-san?" Raynare asked. Sairaorg looked up from his homework and began to think. He closed his eyes before opening them a few seconds later and giving her his answer.

"Well, I don't think they're idiots. It is a perfectly viable way to catch fish," he said.

"See? Muscle man over there gets it," Irina said.

A knock on the door alerted them and Kuisha stood from her spot on the beanbag chair and walked over to the door.

"Oh? Himejima-san?" she said.

"Is Bael-sama in there?" Akeno asked.

"Yes, I am. What is it Akeno-san?" Sairaorg asked.

"Rias has asked you to come to the ORC to meet with some exorcists that showed up," Akeno said.

"Very well, I shall come with you. Kuisha," Sairaorg said as he walked to the door. Kuisha nodded and followed him and Akeno out.

"Exorcists, huh," Murayama said. "What do you think Irina?" she looked down and saw Irina's hand gripping the pen tightly. Ice began to form around the pen before it was completely encased and shattered, sending ice shards everywhere.

"Woah! What's wrong!?" Murayama said as she saw Irina's bleeding hand.

"I worked with those exorcists before I was excommunicated for standing up to an innocent person," Irina said.

"Should we be worried?" Raynare said.

"So long as they don't see me or Asia," Irina said as she pulled out a new pen.

Raynare and Murayama exchanged glances before getting back to work.

* * *

**Zendikar**

* * *

Issei and Ddraig landed on one of the many floating islands that formed around the massive hedrons. They had been flying for several hours and nighttime was upon them so they decided to make camp for the night. Issei pulled out some food from his pack and cast a small fire spell to start a fire. As Issei roasted two massive legs of meat that they had gotten after Ddraig killed a roc and brought it back. Issei leaned on Ddraig as the dragon began to dig into the Roc carcass.

"Remember when this was all we did? Before Big Sister died, before Bolas," Issei said.

**[Yeah. Just you, me, Elspeth, Ajani vs the entire Multiverse]** Ddraig said as he swallowed a mouth full of roc meat.

"I wonder they're doing back on Earth. Sorin just sent me a message saying that Asia was on Innistrad, learning magic," Issei said.

**[They're most likely fine. And you should be proud of Asia. She's growing nicely underneath your teaching]** Ddraig said.

"Yeah," Issei said as he bit into his meal.

**[They're crazy. Crazy but brave]** Ddraig said.

"Yeah, they are. But maybe they can pull it off," Issei said.

The two sat in silence, staring at the night sky. Issei's mind began to drift back to some memories and the first meeting he had with Ddraig. Ddraig has been the one constant in Issei's life ever since his parents died, and before he met Elspeth.

* * *

_Issei panted as he fell to his knees. Ugin floated behind him as he assessed Issei's progress with magic. The boy had a strong aptitude for Red Mana as well as White Mana. Ugin narrowed his eyes. There it was again. That energy signature that was bound to Issei's soul. _

"_I can still keep… going!" Issei said as he shakily got to his feet. _

"_No, you cannot. That will be enough for today. It's normal for people who learn how to wield mana to hit a block. You should be proud. You've advanced at a speed that I haven't seen in a while since the Planeswalker Urza," Ugin said as he began to heal Issei._

"_What am I not getting?" Issei asked as he formed a small fireball on his hand._

"_Hmmm, over the several months that you were here, I have sensed something most peculiar within your soul," Ugin said._

"_Peculiar how?" Issei asked as he stretched a little._

_Ugin waved his hand and a meal appeared in front of Issei._

"_Like a conjoined twin or a parasite. Something inside of you formed some sort of symbiotic relationship with you," Ugin said._

"_Wha- Symbi wha?" Issei asked._

"_It's sharing your body," Ugin said._

"_Wait? Wait? WAAAAIIIT!? I HAVE SOMETHING LIVING IN ME!" Issei yelled._

_Ugin sighed. Children were so annoying. Was Avacyn ever like this as a child? He couldn't recall any stories that Sorin said where she was annoying. Sorin always called her his little angel princess._

"_I'll put you to sleep and I'll try and see what's going on with your soul," Ugin said as he cast a sleeping spell. Issei began to feel drowsy before he fell asleep. _

_Issei woke up in a pitch of blackness. He stood to his feet and began to walk around._

"_I see you're awake," a voice called out. Issei whirled around and saw Ugin standing behind him._

"_Where are we?" Issei asked._

"_We're inside your mind," Ugin said. The Elder Dragon turned his head to his right. Issei saw and followed his gaze. In the distance, Issei could make out a small silhouette with a small orange glow._

"_I believe that the source of the disturbance in that direction," Ugin said._

"_Soooo, should we go there?" Issei asked._

"_I believe that we don't have to," Ugin said as the shadow began to move. The silhouette stood up and took the shape of a large dragon. Two green orbs stared at them as the dragon began to move in their direction._

_**[So this is my current wielder]**__ a booming voice reverberated throughout Issei's mindscape. Fear overtook the young boy as he hid behind Ugin's leg. Ugin watched with slight interest as a massive red dragon came into view. _

_The red dragon looked at Ugin in interest. He did not expect to find another dragon inside of the boy. Perhaps he was born with two of them. Such an occurrence was odd but not impossible. One of the White One's hosts was born with two after all._

_Ugin stepped forward and introduced himself. _

"_Greetings, I am Ugin. This young boy here is Issei. May I ask who you are?" Ugin said._

_The dragon stiffened. He could feel and taste it. The raw wisdom and power behind the blue dragon's voice. Not wanting to back down, the dragon established himself and said his name._

_**[I am Ddraig Y Goch. The Welsh Dragon and the Heavenly Dragon of Domination. I also go by the title, the Red Dragon Emperor]**__ Ddraig said, introducing himself._

"_Those are quite the amount of titles you have there, Ddraig," Ugin said. His blue eyes narrowed at him. "Why are you here?"_

_Ddraig was taken aback. Did he not know? A fellow dragon like him did not know what happened. And judging from the way, he said his previous words, it seemed as if he did not know who he was either._

_**[Surely a dragon such as yourself knows who I am. Every dragon in existence is aware of the Great War and what happened to my rival and I as a result]**__ Ddraig said incredulously. Issei stepped forward and tilted his head._

"_Great War?" Issei asked._

"_I believe it might have been an event that occurred on your home plane," Ugin said._

"_Ah, I see," Issei said._

_Ugin turned to Ddraig. _

"_I am quite sorry but I am not familiar with this Great War nor am I aware of you or your rival. Perhaps you can explain further," Ugin said._

_**[You're joking right?]**__ Ddraig asked. His face fell when he saw the looks on Ugin and Issei's faces._

_**[You're not joking. Okay, here's a basic rundown as I have a few questions of my own. The Great War was basically a dick measuring contest gone wrong between three factions. Those three factions were the Devil Faction led by four people known as the Four Great Satans. They were named Lucifer, Beelzebub, Leviathan, and Asmodeus. Then there was the Angel Faction led by Yahweh, or alternatively known as the God of the Bible. And finally, the Fallen Angel Faction led by the Fallen Seraph Azazel. The war devastated the Earth and drew other factions into it. During the war, my rival and I fought and as a result interrupted their little fight. We were then chopped to pieces and our souls were sealed inside of an artifact known as Sacred Gear which are bound to the souls of their wielders via a magic that is currently unknown to us.]**__ Ddraig explained._

"_I see. Can it be extracted?" Ugin asked._

"_Wait, wait! If it's bound to my soul, won't it kill me if you try to remove it!?" Issei protested._

_**[Yes, it would kill you]**__ Ddraig confirmed. He turned to the dragon who asked the question only to find him gone._

_The two looked at each other and panicked. Issei immediately manifested draconic wings on his back much to Ddraig's surprise and took off. Ddraig spread his wings and followed after._

_They saw Ugin holding a massive green thread in his hands and examining it._

"_Interesting," Ugin said. "It's a soul tether with an enchantment coded to kill the user in case of removal. The enchantment also binds the gear to the user's life force but not the other way around, meaning that if the user dies, the gear is unaffected as a result but if the gear is removed, the user dies. It seems that Issei's life force is dependent on your presence inside of him. How cruel to subject others to such a fate," Ugin mused._

_**[You deduced all that from looking at a piece of green string?]**__ Ddraig asked._

"_To be fair, this string is the string keeping you bound to the gear and inside of Issei," Ugin said._

"_Please don't mess around with this. I can die!" Issei said._

"_Not necessarily. I can remove this bond if you like. It's nothing but detrimental to you anyway," Ugin said._

_**[What do you mean by that? The boy has access to all my abilities as a result of me being here]**__ Ddraig said._

"_No, not that. I can make it so that he can still use your abilities but now you can come and go as you please," Ugin said._

_**[Why would you do this for someone you just met?]**__ Ddraig asked._

"_This is more for Issei. The more I look at it, the more I notice that it is a siphon. The gear you're residing in is a siphon for Issei's life force," Ugin said._

"_What!?" Issei yelled._

_**[What are you referring to? All of my hosts have been fine when using the Boosted Gear]**__ Ddraig said._

"_There's a hidden code in this enchantment. It's meant to subtly drain the user's life force to power the seal keeping you in here," Ugin said._

"_Woah woah! Wait! Drain my life force!" Issei said._

_Ddraig stayed silent. He did not know about that feature. He thought that the Juggernaut Drive was the only thing that drained the user's life force but this…_

_**[How much?]**__ Ddraig asked._

"_It takes a small portion of Issei's life force. Not a lot to be noticed and it does so in increments so that Issei can recover the lost portion over time," Ugin said._

"_Okay, you said you can remove it right? Please remove it!" Issei said._

"_I shall. I cannot teach you knowing that you have something draining your soul," Ugin said as his eyes began to glow turquoise. Several runic symbols appeared in the air around them and began to break down. Ddraig and Issei felt something snap between them and Ddraig suddenly felt free._

"_I have severed the life tether between you two, however since Ddraig is a non-corporeal spirit, he cannot leave your body without being dispersed," Ugin said._

"_Can't you just make him a body?" Issei asked. _

"_I can or I can teach you how to summon him and make a body made of mana for him," Ugin said._

_**[Question. Can I still feel the pleasures of the flesh if I have a body made of this mana stuff?] **__Ddraig asked._

"_Really?" Ugin said._

_**[What? It's a perfectly viable question]**__ Ddraig said._

"_Yes, you can. When summoning you, Issei is basically creating a physical body for you that takes your form. It'll be complete with everything," Ugin said._

"_What does he mean by pleasures of the flesh?" Issei asked._

_Ddraig looked away while Ugin sighed. He really hated raising kids._

* * *

"Do you remember when Ugin gave me the talk after making it so that I can have the **[Boosted Gear]** but not die from the extraction or have my soul drained to keep your powers sealed?" Issei asked.

**[Most awkward moment of our lives was trying to watch a dragon explain how humans have sex to a boy]** Ddraig said as he yawned.

"Heh, that was awkward. You know what was more awkward. The first time you got out and began to flirt with Dromoka when she visited Ugin," Issei said.

Ddraig coughed as he felt blood rush to his face.

**[It's not my fault. She was a fine specimen after all]** Ddraig said.

"What about this Tiamat I keep hearing about in your sleep?" Issei asked.

Ddraig looked down at the fire.

"You need to get over her man," Issei said.

**[I liked Dromoka because she reminded me of Tiamat. Wanting to live in a world where dragons are united. Well, in Dromoka's case, having her clan united unlike her siblings]** Ddraig said.

"Didn't she ignore you in favor of her duties?" Issei asked.

**[She didn't mean to but yeah, it led to our falling out. I wanted to reunite with her but being sealed inside a gauntlet for the better part of the last several hundred years prevented me from doing so]** Ddraig said.

Issei looked at him sympathetically.

"Maybe when we get back, we can go look for her," Issei said.

**[... Yeah, I'd like that]** Ddraig said.

"Let's go to sleep. We have more ground to cover tomorrow," Issei said.

* * *

**Kuoh**

* * *

Sairaorg and Akeno walked towards the ORC followed by Kuisha. A spike of energy alerted them to the corner and they saw Gisela standing there. Akeno walked over to her and greeted her with a smile.

"Gisela-san, what are you doing here? I thought you were in the club room with Shidou-san and Amano-san," Akeno said.

"Oh I'm here because I just felt Asia arrive back," Gisela said.

"Ah, Gisela, Akeno-san," Asia said as she appeared out of the corner. "Thanks for waiting for me," she said. Asia looked different. She was wearing white robes as well as a short white cloak that went down past her shoulders to her waist. She wore a pendant around her necklace that took the shape of an upside-down omega symbol.

"Asia-san," Akeno greeted. Asia nodded and waved to her. She looked over her shoulder and saw Kuisha and Sairaorg and waved to them.

"Where are you guys going?" Asia asked as she pulled a piece of chocolate from her pocket and began to munch on it.

"The ORC. Wanna come with us?" Kuisha offered.

"You go ahead. I have some things to do back in the club room," Gisela said.

"I'll go with you guys," Asia said. She turned to Gisela who nodded.

"I'll see you back at the club room or the house. Depends on how long Rias wants to keep you there," Gisela said. Asia nodded and watched as the Archangel returned to the club room.

The four walked to the club room, making small talk. Of course, Asia didn't say anything about where she went and sent Akeno piercing glances to keep her mouth shut and to refrain from asking any questions. Of course, Sairaorg and Kuisha found her clothing odd but based on the looks Akeno was receiving, it was decided that it was best not to ask her.

As they arrived at the entrance of the club room, Akeno opened the door and headed up to the second floor. She opened the door to reveal Rias sitting at her desk with her hands folded. Her blue eyes lit up when she saw Sairaorg and Kuisha arrive with Akeno but dimmed a little when she saw Asia.

_Oh, crap baskets_, Rias thought when she saw the exorcists react to her presence.

"I see that you have been housing… less than savory company devil," Xenovia said as her eyes fell on Asia.

"Keep her out of this. She's under our protection," Rias said.

"Typical for a witch to go running to a devil for help," Xenovia said.

"Xenovia," she turned to Galahad who looked at her intensely. "Stand down."

"Asia-san," Mashu said. Asia looked at all of them with a dull look. Her bright green emerald eyes had faded into a dull green. She looked to Rias who looked at her apologetically. Asia nodded and walked over to where Kiba and Arata were standing and leaned against the wall.

Sairaorg and Kuisha stood there awkwardly, watching the entire interaction. Rias decided to move on with the meeting.

"Let's get this meeting started shall we?" Rias said.

Sairaorg nodded and bowed slightly introducing himself.

"I am Sairaorg Bael, the heir of the Bael Clan," Sairaorg said.

"I am Kuisha Abaddon of House Abaddon. Queen of Sairaorg Bael," Kuisha said.

"Galahad Du Lac, this is my sister and our colleague, Mashu Du Lac, and Xenovia Quarta," he said.

Sairaorg nodded.

"I believe we should get to the point of this meeting Du Lac-san," Rias said.

"Right, we have been sent here because a few weeks ago, the Excalibur Fragments were stolen from the Church. We have reason to believe that one of our own, a rogue has stolen them," Galahad said.

"I see. What does that have to do with why you have come to Kuoh?" Sairaorg asked.

"It is because we have tracked them to this location," Mashu said. "Our superiors believe that they are also being aided by someone. Who it is we have no idea but we know that they have decided to set up shop here."

"I see," Rias said.

"Is that all?" Sairaorg asked.

"We have a request. We would like to conduct church business within the town and would very much appreciate it if we had your assistance. I believe that this would benefit both sides as your territory has been invaded by an unknown being as well as foster closer relationships between the Church and the Devil Faction," Galahad said.

"Hmm very well, my peerage shall be assisting you. Sairaorg?" Rias asked.

"I shall as well," he said.

"Very well, I believe that is all we have to talk for today as it is getting late. There's a hotel in the west of town just a mile from the school. I believe that you'll find some accommodations there," Rias said.

"Thank you," Galahad said. "Let's go," he said to Xenovia and his sister. As they left, Mashu turned to Asia.

"Asia-san, for what it's worth, I don't agree with what the church did to you. I hope that you know that," Mashu said.

Asia nodded before Mashu left. After the exorcists left, Rias collapsed into her chair and let out a sigh. Exorcists. Holy Swords. And now, Issei's sister's past coming to bite them in the ass.

"Thank you for having me, Rias. I'm going to head to the club room now," Asia said as she walked out.

Rias sighed. She turned to Arata. "Arata, make sure they get to the hotel and not get lost," Rias said.

* * *

**Zendikar**

* * *

Issei and Ddraig had been flying for several hours now and still no sign of Linvala. The air whipped through Issei's pace as he and Ddraig flew at speeds faster than that of a jet.

"What if she's not even here anymore? What if the Eldrazi got to her?" Issei said.

**[Keep your hopes up runt. We'll find her eventually]** Ddraig said as his green eyes scanned his surroundings.

"Hmmm," Issei said as he looked around the area. Issei's eyes widened when he sensed it. Mana. He flew down to a lower elevation and saw several Eldrazi consuming an entire valley. A tribe of elves ran for their lives as they witnessed their own become drained and mana and become lifeless white crystalline husks.

"We have to stop them," Issei said.

**[Already on it]** Ddraig replied as flames gathered inside of his mouth. Ddraig unlatched his jaw and let loose a massive blast of flames that headed straight for the largest of the Eldrazi drones. The drone flailed as Ddraig's flames began to consume it. The others noticed and turned to them.

Issei raised his hand into the air and a massive spear of light appeared. He had been learning the magic of the Angels from Raynare while he was on Earth and got the light spear technique down. Issei reared his arm back and threw it forward, propelling the spear towards the Eldrazi.

Three of the drones were skewered as the spear impaled itself into the ground.

Ddraig swiped his paw, sending the other drones flying into the air.

Issei raised his palm and a massive beam of light came down from the sky and impacted them. Behind him, a drone tried to grab Issei, only for a flaming spear to impale it in the head.

Issei created two large balls of fire and threw them, killing more Eldrazi while Ddraig grabbed one and took into the air before ripping it in half.

Issei summoned Godsend and unleashed a large arc of fire, slicing the remaining Eldrazi in half. Sighing after the work was done, Issei descended on the town while Ddraig stayed in the air to keep a lookout for any more of them.

One of the elves came out of their hiding spots and began to thank Issei profusely. Issei smiled and waved it off. The elves began to ask if he knew of any safe places to go to and Issei nodded, pointing them in the direction of the ally encampment. As the Elves began to leave, Issei remembered something.

_Maybe they'll know_, Issei thought.

"Hey wait!" Issei said.

One of the older elves turned and looked at him.

"Do you know where the angel Linvala is?" Issei asked.

"Yes, savior. The angel was in this area several days ago. The last we heard, she had headed north of this location," the elder said. Issei nodded.

"Thank you for your help. I wish you luck on your journey," Issei said.

"And to you as well," the elder said. Issei manifested his wings and took off to meet Ddraig.

"She's north of here," Issei said.

**[North? Did they say how far?]** Ddraig asked.

"Just north," Issei said. Suddenly, the world shook as Issei felt massive ripples reverberate through the entire plane's core. He narrowed his eyes. The Eldrazi were getting more and more powerful by the day. He turned to Ddraig who had felt the wave as well.

**[Let's go. From the looks of things, we don't have much time before this world begins to fall apart]** Ddraig said.

"Yeah," Issei said as he and Ddraig took off north.

* * *

**Kuoh**

* * *

Irina walked home from the school, accompanied by Asia, Kiba, and Raynare. It turns out that Kiba had lived close to them purely out of coincidence. He had chosen this neighborhood to move into when Rias and Sona had moved to Kuoh. It helped to have a member of the Gremory Peerage nearby in case of assistance. Murayama had gone home earlier than Irina and Raynare to catch up on some homework and to look after her cousin's dog.

"So, they know that you're here now?" Irina asked.

"Yeah, but they don't know that you're here either," Asia said.

Irina looked down. She did not want to deal with exorcists or other members of the church right now. Suddenly, every hair on the back of her neck stood on end. Her instincts screamed at her to move as she grabbed Asia and jumped back. Kiba seemed to have the same reaction as she did as he too dodged the attack as did Raynare.

Before them was a boy with white hair and wore the clothes of a priest. His insane red eyes turned to them with a dangerous glint. He wore a sick smile on his face as he looked at the four of them.

"Freed," Kiba said.

"Hello, shitty devils! Miss me!"

* * *

**Ddraig**

**Cost: RR7**

**Creature Type: Legendary Dragon Emperor**

**Card Text: Whenever Ddraig attacks, gain +2/+2 until the end of the turn.**

**All creatures have double strike so long as Ddraig is under your control.**

**Flying, Double Strike**

**7/7**

* * *

**Review Replies:**

**To Chronos 0305: Hmm, Gaia seems like a good name for the Worldsoul but Dominaria's Worldsoul has the same name so I'll have to pick a different one. ON the other hand, I'm glad you're enjoying this so far.**

**To Firehedgehog: Thank you.**

* * *

**Well, that's it for this chapter. Thanks for reading. If you liked it remember to fav/follow. Also, leave a review, it helps prevent writer's block. Remember, have a great day or not, the choice is yours.**


	13. The Keeper of Silence

**Sorry for the late post guys and gals. You know, finals and all that nice... crap. It was crap. It was the most stressful period of my college life besides forgetting my keys and almost missing paying for my tuition. Anyway, I have nothing to say for now until this is all over. Have fun reading!**

**I do not own Magic: The Gathering or Highschool DxD.**

* * *

**[Ddraig talking]**

_**[Ddraig thinking]**_

_Mental Communication_

"Regular Dialogue"

**Attacks/Spells**

* * *

"Hehehe AHAHAHAHA!"

Freed stood before them, cackling like every bit of the madman that he was. Freed held a sword that was shaped like a long kris with a diamond hole at the base of the blade, just above the guard. Irina narrowed her eyes as she recognized the sword.

_So he has Excalibur Rapidly_, Irina thought as she began to reach for the string on her shoulder.

Without warning, Freed appeared in front of Kiba and raised his sword, ready to bring it down on top of the Devil Knight when a white polychromatic barrier appeared in front of Kiba. Freed turned and saw Asia with her hand outstretched, a small white aura enveloping it.

"It doesn't matter who I kill. A shitty devil is a shitty devil," Freed said as he reappeared behind Asia in a burst of speed. Irina and Raynare didn't have the speed to react on time as Freed slashed his sword across Asia's neck, decapitating her.

"ASIA!" Irina screamed as she fired a beam of pure white light, piercing straight through Freed's shoulder. As she ran over, her anguish turned to confusion when Asia turned into a white mist.

Asia appeared behind Freed and waved her hand, a mass of vines appearing from the ground and wrapping around Freed.

"If I hadn't prepared that Cloudshift spell, I would've died," Asia said.

She felt someone hug her and saw Irina, who had her arms wrapped around her in a tight embrace.

"Irina? I'm not dead," Asia said, rubbing her back.

"I know. And I'm glad," Irina said. Irina let go and looked at Freed, who was cutting through the vines.

"Let's take him back," Raynare said as she prepared to knock Freed out.

Every hair on the back of Asia's neck stood on end as she cast **Circle of Protection: Black** around Raynare. A violet bolt of energy impacted the barrier and strained against it, cracking it before dispersing. A woman wearing black clothing appeared in front of them and cut Freed free.

Asia narrowed her eyes as she began to gather mana into her body.

The woman looked over at Asia and her red eyes twinkled in interest.

"Oh, one of us?" she said as she stood after cutting the last vine.

"Sifa, I didn't need any help," Freed said as he stood.

"Could have fooled me," the now-named Sifa snorted as she eyed Asia carefully.

"Who are you?" Asia said as she flared her mana, shaking the ground underneath her. Sifa was unfazed at the girl's display of power and flared her own, easily surpassing Asia's.

"I am Sifa Grent. This idiot's partner. Now if you'll excuse me," she said as she grabbed Freed. "Ta ta, Auramancer," Sifa said as she grabbed Freed and dispersed into a cloud of violet smoke.

Irina and Raynare relaxed as the woman left and noticed that Kiba had a look of rage on his face. He marched over to Asia and grabbed her shoulder. She was surprised when Kiba started to yell at her.

"HOW COULD YOU LET THEM GET AWAY!?" he roared. Asia took a step back as Kiba kept screaming.

"NOW THEY HAVE ONE OF THOSE BASTARD SWORDS WITH THEM!? THIS IS ALL YO-!" Kiba's face snapped to the side as Irina walked between them and slapped him.

"Lay off her, Kiba," Irina said coldly. "Asia, are you…?"

"I'm fine. Just a bit surprised," Asia said. "We need to talk to Rias."

"Agreed. Can you teleport us to the ORC, Yuuto?" Raynare asked.

Kiba rubbed his cheek, which was starting to turn red as he looked at them. He suddenly felt guilty for yelling and nodded.

"Sorry, Asia-san," Kiba said.

"It's okay. You were just angry," Asia said as Kiba formed a magic circle underneath them and the group disappeared in a flash of red light.

* * *

**Occult Research Club**

* * *

Rias sipped some tea to calm her nerves. Exorcists in the town. Stolen Excaliburs. She shook her head as she recanted the events that occurred in her office. Her cousin, Sairaorg, had called Sona to discuss their next plan of action. Sona advised just leaving the exorcists be, a sentiment that Rias agreed with but Sairaorg has argued for the other option. Assist them in hunting down the Excalibur Fragments.

Rias and Sona were confused at first until Sairaorg explained. This would be an excellent opportunity to forge ties with the Church and create a new future for Heaven and the Underworld. Rias had to agree, it had merits and the benefits did outweigh some of the costs.

Right now, her cousin and Sona were arguing over which of their peerages would be responsible for the connection. Rias thanked her stars when a flash of red appeared in the room.

"Yuuto-kun," Rias said as Yuuto, Raynare, Asia, and Irina appeared in the room. Her face became serious when she saw their expressions.

"What's wrong?" Rias asked.

"Rias, we saw one of them," Irina said.

"One of the-!?" Rias's eyes widened. "The rogues the exorcists mentioned?"

They nodded and Sairaorg and Sona looked down deep in thought.

"Are you sure?" Sona asked.

"Yes, it was… Freed Sellzen," Yuuto said as his fists clenched tightly.

"This is an… unexpected development. To think that whoever it is would move this fast," Tsubaki said.

"That's not all. We need to speak to Rias about this next part… privately," Asia said as her green eyes bore into the redhead's blue ones.

Rias nodded upon seeing the serious look in Asia's eyes.

"Sona, Sairaorg. We'll continue this in a bit… I need to talk to them. _Alone_," Rias said, emphasizing the alone portion. Sona narrowed her eyes at Rias's tone.

"Hold on, whatever you have to tell Rias, you can tell us," Sona said.

"We'd rather not have many people know. I promise you when this is over, you will be informed," Asia said, using the skills Sorin and Issei had begun to hammer into her.

"Now, listen here. I-!" Sona turned when she felt Sairaorg's hand on her shoulder.

"Sona, let's go," he said. As much as Sairaorg wanted to stay and listen, he had seen the fear in Asia's eyes as well as the worry in Irina's and Yuuto's. Whatever it was they saw, Rias must have known. He resolved to find out later but now was not the time. Right now they needed to come up with a plan to defeat the invaders that had come to Kuoh.

"Sairaorg?" Sona raised an eyebrow.

"Let's let them talk," he said as he began to make his way to the door.

"What? Hey-!" Sona turned to them. "Don't think this is over."

Sona and Tsubaki followed after Sairorg and Kuisha and left the room. After the door clicked shut, Rias turned to Asia.

"So, what is it that's so important that Sona and Sairaorg couldn't know?" Rias asked, folding her hands in front of her. Her face became serious as she looked at the three people in front of her.

"There's one here, working with them," Asia said.

"One?" Akeno asked. "One of what?"

"A Planeswalker," she said, her face becoming hard.

"Are you sure?" Rias asked as fear began to grip her heart.

"Positive. I could… sense her Spark. It… reeked of death," Asia said, remembering how abhorrent her spark felt. It felt like someone who had bathed in the blood of others and enjoyed it. Just how many people did that woman kill? How many lives did she ruin? Families she destroyed.

"This is bad. Issei is off-world and a Planeswalker decides to come here of all places," Rias said.

"Not to mention the Church moving within our territory," Akeno said.

"We need to tell Sona and Sairaorg. If what you say is true, then Asia, Irina, Raynare, we need all the help we can get," Rias said.

"How strong is she Asia?" Yuuto asked.

"I can't tell. I haven't seen her spells yet nor her ability in combat beyond what we just witnessed today," Asia said.

"Hmmm, our enemy has a planeswalker on their side but so do we. And we also have a home-field advantage on top of higher numbers… presently. We still don't know how big their forces are," Rias said.

"Can you take her on?" Akeno asked.

"I don't think I can. When I blocked one of her spells, she held back. A lot and she managed to crack my barrier severely," Asia said. "That and I only ever had a month's worth of training. Sorin and Nii-san have been teaching me high-level spells now but my strongest spell… I don't know if that will be enough."

"Still, Irina, can we use your library?" Rias asked.

"Of course! The ORC is always welcome to the Literature Club," Irina said.

"All right. We'll be there after school to pick up all the knowledge we can on fighting planeswalkers and the type of magic she uses and how we can counter it," Rias said. Irina nodded.

"Rias, did you tell them that we were here?" Irina asked.

"No, we didn't. Asia walked in while we were in a meeting," she replied. Irina looked down, her body tense.

"If they know that Asia is here, then they know that I'm here too," Irina said.

"I'm sorry," Rias said.

"No, it's not your fault. It was bound to happen eventually," Irina said.

"We'll keep them off of you for now but now that Freed and the Planeswalker attacked you, that might not be a possibility," Rias said.

"One more thing. Freed has an Excalibur Fragment with him. I'm assuming that's why they're here," Irina asked.

"Yes. Be careful everyone," Rias said. They all nodded and Irina and Asia teleported out of the room via magic circle. Rias's blue eyes trailed over to her knight.

"Buchou… I need to-!" he was interrupted when Rias wrapped him up in an embrace.

"You don't need to do this alone," Rias said.

Rias pulled away and ruffled Yuuto's hair. "You have a family now."

Yuuto nodded and walked out of the room silently.

"Do you want me to follow him?" Koneko asked.

"Yes, please do," Rias said.

* * *

**Kuoh**

* * *

Irina sighed as she and Asia walked down the shopping district of Kuoh to do their groceries. Asia had changed into a white hoodie and black pants and the two walked down the grocery market. Asia grabbed some strawberries and placed it into the cart when she spotted someone familiar.

"Arata-san!" the boy turned around and waved when he saw Asia and Irina. Arata walked over with a basket filled with baking ingredients.

"Hey, are you guys alright? I heard about what happened," Arata said.

"We're fine. Thanks for asking, Arata-san," Irina said, sending him a soft smile. She looked down and saw a large number of ingredients in his basket. "Having a priest or something?"

"No, the hotels in town are oddly full so they have to stay at my place," Arata said. "So, not only do I have to bake Koneko her sweets, but I also have to feed three people one of which I saw was able to devour a meal designed for three people," he said.

"Oh, who… it's Xenovia isn't it?" Irina asked.

"Umm, yeah, do you know her or something?" Arata asked Irina as they looked at the various cuts on display. Arata grabbed some pork belly and placed it inside his basket while Irina grabbed some brisket.

"Yeah, we were partners back when I was an exorcist," Irina said. Memories of her and a blue-haired girl fighting together flew through her head. She clenched her fist.

_So much for being partners_, Irina thought.

"Oh, I'm guessing that-"

"She didn't side with me when I stood up for Asia because she thought Asia was a devil loving witch," Irina said.

"Oh," Arata looked over at the blonde-haired sister of Issei as she came back with a bag of fruit.

"Arata-san!" the three looked behind them and Irina and Asia froze. Her. Irina stood in front of Asia and eyed the newcomer intensely. Mash froze when she saw Irina and flinched under the gaze of the older girl. She gulped when she saw Asia looking at her with slight fear in her eyes.

"Irina," Mash said as she looked at the girl apologetically.

"Du Lac," Irina said.

"Irina, wait I need to-!"

"Don't. Just don't," Irina said as she relaxed. "I knew it was you."

"I'm confused," Arata said as he looked between the two.

"I wasn't the only person who helped Asia," Irina said as she sent Mash a smile. Mash smiled back when she saw Irina didn't hate her as she did the rest of the clergy.

"I'm sorry about what happened to you, Asia," Mash said.

"It's okay. My ex-communication might have been the best thing that has ever happened to me," Asia said.

Mash quirked an eyebrow in confusion as did Arata.

"It gave me a new family. One that cares for me for more than just my sainthood or my sacred gear," Asia said, sending her a bright smile.

"I see. I'm sorry that the Church was unable to provide you with such love," Mash said, looking down.

"Mash is she here?" Irina asked.

"Yeah, she is and so is my brother," she replied.

Irina sighed.

"Are you going to help us find the rest of the fragments? You know, except for the one you have," Mash said.

"No, I'll leave that part to you and devils. I'm officially retired," Irina said.

"Oh," Mash said. "I see."

"Sorry about that," Irina said.

* * *

**Zendikar**

* * *

Issei and Ddraig flew north of the settlement of elves that they had just saved. Along the way, they had to fight more and more Eldrazi brood, each one resembling Ulamog even more. They were getting close. Issei was sure of it. Judging by the sight of the landscape, they were close if the white chalky husks or trees, frozen water, and mountains were anything to go by.

**[Damn. At this rate, we'll run into Ulamog before we find Linvala]** Ddraig said.

Issei stretched his senses to feel for her. Nothing.

Issei rubbed his forehead in frustration.

"Yeah, we might have to give up at this rate," Issei said. As Issei scanned the wastes of Zendikar, he felt it. A massive pure signature of white mana just several miles north of them.

"Looks like we caught a break," Issei said as he hovered in midair.

**[Really?]** Ddraig said as he looked at Issei. His answer came in the form of a massive pillar of golden light. The light tore apart the atmosphere as golden lightning crackled across the sky, crashing down on the landscape around them. A large shockwave pushed Issei and Ddraig back.

"I think that's her," Issei said.

**[You think]** Ddraig said.

"Let's go," Issei said as he and Ddraig disappeared in a burst of speed towards the light pillar. Around them, the surroundings blurred as they flew at breakneck speeds. Suddenly Ddaig served out of the way as a massive hand swung its way in Ddraig's direction. Issei stopped and saw a massive Eldrazi brood bearing all the characteristics of Ulamog in between them. The ground around it was becoming chalky white as Issei could make out the wisps of energy being absorbed into the being.

"Ddraig," Issei said. "You alright?"

**[Yeah]** Ddraig said as fire filled his mouth and unleashed it at the Eldrazi. The Eldrazi stumbled back as Ddraig's flames began to eat away at its fleshy arms. The Eldrazi retaliated by slamming its arm unburned arm into Ddraig's side an grabbed him. Ddraig gasped when he felt his mana being drained from him.

"DDRAIG!" Issei flew over at the Eldrazi's face, Godsend in his hand ready and waiting. Issei slashed downwards at its bony face, forcing the Eldrazi to let go of Ddraig. Issei fired a blast of golden light, sending the Eldrazi stumbling back.

"Ddraig!" Issei flew down to his friend and began to heal him.

**[It caught me off guard]** Ddraig said as he eyed the Eldrazi carefully. Issei turned around and prepared to fire a spell at the creature.

"You ready?" Issei asked.

**[Yeah]** Ddraig smirked as more flames began to gather around his mouth.

Ddraig unleashed a torrent of red flames, impacting the Eldrazi in the chest, knocking it over. Issei appeared above it and slammed the blade of Godsend into its skull, making the Eldrazi spasm erratically as its arm moved to swat Issei off its face.

Ddraig bit down on the Eldrazi's arm and using his draconic strength, ripped the arm off. Eventually, the drone stopped struggling and died, falling limp. Issei removed Godsend from its face and fell on his butt.

"We need to be more careful," Issei said.

**[It seems that we're getting closer to Ulamog]** Ddraig said as he landed on the massive Eldrazi's body.

"Let's go," Issei said, manifesting his wings once more. Ddraig nodded and the two took off.

**[Issei, can you feel her?]** Ddraig asked.

"Yeah, we're getting close," Issei said. His eyes sparkled in happiness and relief when he saw an angel fly past them. "An angel. That's a good sign," he said as he pushed forward.

**[Indeed.]** Ddraig said as he looked forward. **[Look!]**

In front of them was a massive angel that was about the same height as Iona. Four large wings that seemed to be a few miles long in length beat behind her, creating massive winds that buffeted a large horde of Eldrazi. Issei saw her raise her hand and a large wave of light cut through the horde.

"We found her," Issei said as he hovered in mid-air.

**[The Keeper of Silence]** Ddraig said as he hovered next to him.

Linvala's eyes glowed as the sounds of the encroaching Eldrazi were silenced. However, the sounds of the angels charging towards them could be heard. Linvala waved her hand and an angelic chorus played and reverberated across the land as the ground split open underneath the Eldrazi and pillars of light rained down from the sky and vaporized any of the flying members of the horde.

"Let's go," Issei said as he beat his wings and flew towards Linvala. Ddraig sighed at his partner's recklessness and flew after him.

* * *

**Kuoh Academy**

* * *

Rias and Akeno walked out of the academy with Koneko in tow. Yuuto had gone back to his house, according to Koneko making Rias sigh in relief. At least he didn't go to confront them. Satan knows that she was worried enough about him ever since the exorcists came.

"Should we go to the Hyoudou house?" Akeno asked.

"Yes, that would be a good idea. Issei might have something there or Asia could tell us more," Rias said.

"More than we already know," Akeno asked.

"We need all the information we need on our opponent," Rias said. They crossed the street and entered the neighborhood that Issei's house was located.

"Still, we're showing up unannounced," Koneko said.

"Don't worry," Rias said. "This is an emergency and we're not breaking in. Irina said that Raynare was home," she said. "We'll just knock."

After a few minutes, they arrived at Issei's house and stood outside the gates.

"What are you guys doing here?" the three turned and saw Asia and Irina walking towards the house with groceries.

"Oh, we're here to discuss the Planeswalker and how we should combat her considering that Issei isn't here and his house might have some info on how to fight one," Rias said.

"That would be a good move," Irina said. Asia pulled her sleeve and nodded her head to the spot behind Rias, Akeno, and Koneko. She nodded.

"Would you like to come inside?" Irina asked.

"Of course," Rias said. She had seen the sudden change in Asia's mood and wondered what had happened. The five entered the house with Asia going in last. Once she waved her hand, releasing an extremely small release of white mana. From behind them, Tsubaki stepped out and watched the household. As Tsubaki moved towards the door, she felt something burning her skin and stepped back.

"What the?" Tsubaki wondered as she put her hand out. She instantly pulled back when she felt her hand burning. "Light?" Tsubaki asked aloud as she saw the burns on her hand.

"Sona and Sairaorg need to know about this," Tsubaki said as she formed a magic circle underneath her.

"Alright," Gisela said as she placed a tray of cookies in front of them. "What do you want to know?"

"Planeswalkers. What are they? You know… beyond the obvious," Rias asked as she sipped her tea.

Gisela placed a hand on her chin in thought. Her eyebrows scrunched up in though as a million thoughts could be seen running through her blue eyes.

"Planeswalkers are… for a lack of better terms are mages or people who can use magic. They possess what Sorin and Issei call a Spark that allows them to travel from world to world. For someone to possess a Spark, the chances are one in a million and for someone to awaken said Spark is even rarer," Gisela said.

"What about what they can do?" Koneko asked.

"All Planeswalkers, following their ascension, possess an innate connection to Mana and Magic as seen with Asia's rapid development. Another thing is that… Planeswalkers possess long lifespans and are virtually immortal," Gisela said, chewing on a cookie.

"Immortal?" Rias asked.

"They can't die of old age but you can kill them," Gisela said. "Anything that can kill a mortal being, you can use to kill a planeswalker. They're not invincible. Planeswalkers also require the same sustenance as everything else. They need sleep, food, air, and water. They're not Gods. They're just mages that can't die due to getting old."

"Oh," Rias said, sounding relieved.

"What about fighting one?" Irina asked.

"I have fought one. It's like fighting another person. Like I said, Planeswalkers aren't gods. Issei had to train to get where he is today. That power wasn't handed to him just because he ascended," Gisela said.

"So we can kill her. That's good," Akeno said.

"Yes, but be careful. Not all Planeswalkers are not Issei. Some of them would kill without a second thought," Gisela said, remembering a certain necromancer Planeswalker that wiped out an entire flight of angels with a wave of her hand. She gripped her teacup so hard, it shattered within her palm.

"I'm guessing you don't have a good history with some planeswalkers," Irina said, noticing Gisela's sudden anger.

"No, I don't," Gisela said.

"So what do we do now?" Raynare asked, finally speaking up.

"We wait. Asia said that the Planeswalker used Black aligned spells. Facing her head-on will be dangerous," she said.

"What of the exorcists?" Akeno asked Rias.

"We help the Church take care of them while Gisela and Asia fight the Planeswalker. Once that's done, we assist them in whatever way we can. Without Issei, we're sitting ducks and Gisela is the only one here strong enough to fight someone like that," Rias said.

"Don't rely on me to fight all your battles. For all we know, this planeswalker could be much stronger than I am," Gisela said. The others stiffened at her words. What if the Planeswalker was stronger than Gisela. What then? The Archangel before them was strong, yes but their enemy was of unknown strength.

"Look, let's not worry about this for now. Right now, you need to worry about what you're going to tell Sona and Sairaorg. Asia sensed one of Sona's peerage members behind you guys and she cast a barrier to prevent them from entering," Irina said.

"Right, I'll inform them of the basic situation. Stay safe," Rias said as she stood alongside Koneko and Akeno.

"Wait," Asia walked up to Rias and handed her something. A book.

"What's this?" Rias asked as she held up the book.

"It's a grimoire of spells that are aligned to red that I found while I was in Innistrad with Sorin," Asia said. "You'll put it to much better use than I ever could."

"Thanks, Asia," Rias said. "Well, we'll be off."

"Be careful," Gisela said. The three nodded and disappeared in a flash of red light.

* * *

**Zendikar**

* * *

Issei and Ddraig arrived upon a battle between the angels and their forces against the Eldrazi.

"We have to help them," Issei said as he summoned Godsend. Ddraig nodded and the two flew down to help the angels fight the Eldrazi. There was Kor on the ground alongside some humans and elves cutting down the drones as they came. Issei landed next to one of them and cast a large spell, bolstering the soldiers around them. The Elves, Kor, and Men all felt power course through them and began to fight with more vigor than ever.

In the skies, Ddraig soared alongside Linvala and the angels, cutting and burning all airborne drones. Ddraig charged at a massive Eldrazi Drone and grappled with it in midair. He slammed his tail into the drone and unleashed a massive funnel of flames, incinerating the drone in its entirety, rending it and its ashes from existence.

Issei stretched his hand out and began to channel white mana.

"**Celestial Flare**," Issei unleashed a flash of white light, causing the Drone in front of him to violently burst into several pieces that were then vaporized by the light.

"There's too many of them," a Kor soldier next to Issei called out. Issei gritted his teeth and began to channel red mana. He thrust his hands into the sky and announced.

"**Kicked Burst Lightning!**" a hail of lightning bolts barraged the Eldrazi forces killing a large number of them. However, Issei was not finished.

He threw his hand forward.

"**Banefire!**" a large conic beam of flames spat forth from Issei's hand, burning the Eldrazi in front of him.

"Keep pushing!" Issei said as he cast a **Glorious Charge** and a **Gleam of Resistance**. The troops around him were bolstered further as they let out a glorious battle cry and began to push the Eldrazi back. Spell, steel, and arrow exchanged blow with tentacles and claws.

For every person the drones killed, five more would take their place and bring them down. Issei and Ddraig fought alongside them as Ddraig and the Angels massacred the air support of the Eldrazi while Issei amplified the ground forces. Eventually, the Eldrazi were cut down to five and Ddraig dived to the ground, killing the rest.

Issei panted as he stabbed Godsend into the ground. He looked at Ddraig and sent him a tired smile which was returned by the Red Dragon.

"Thank you, stranger," one of the Kor said as he walked up to Issei. He held out his hand and Issei grabbed it, shaking it firmly.

"No problem," Issei said.

"My name is Ruma," he said.

"Issei," Issei replied as he stood.

"What brings you here?" Ruma said as he sheathed his blade.

"He's here for me," the two looked up and saw Linvala landed behind them. She shrunk down to a more comfortable size for talking to humans and Kor. Linvala was still beautiful enough to make Issei's breath hitch. Her sunny blonde hair alongside her caramel gold eyes shone in the moonlight. She possessed the body of a goddess with a shapely rear and larger than average breasts. Linvala smiled as she walked over to Issei.

"Hello Issei," Linvala said as her wings fluttered happily.

"Linvala," Issei said. The ground shook slightly as Ddraig walked up to them.

**[Hello, Keeper of Silence]** Ddraig said.

"Hello, Little Red!" Linvala said as she flew up and patted Ddraig's snout.

"Still with the nicknames?" Issei asked as she landed next to him.

"Of course!" she said, beaming.

"Linvala, we're here to ask you for your help," Issei said.

"My help?" Linvala tilted her head to the side as she looked at him. An angel landed next to her.

"Milady," the angel said. "We have lost sight of Ula and our other detachment has lost Kosi."

Issei and Ddraig stiffened. They were gone?

"Lost sight? How?" Linvala asked, her demeanor becoming serious.

"They flickered before vanishing," the angel said.

"They must be in a different part of Zendikar," Issei said.

Linvala placed her hand on her chin, deep in thought. "Issei, what do you need my help with?"

"The Eldrazi. Our goals align," Issei said.

"Do tell," Linvala said as she motioned for him to continue.

"We'll need your help with them. Iona already said she was going to help. We plan to bind the Eldrazi long enough to assimilate them into the leylines of the plane. From there, we disperse their essence into Zendikar and use it to repair the damage dealt to the plane by the Eldrazi in the process," Issei said.

"And by them, you mean?" Linvala asked.

"Emeria, Ula, and Kosi. We're going to use them. If we kill them, the rest should follow. The old cut the head of the snake technique," Issei said.

"Interesting," Linvala said. She looked down, deep in thought as Issei and Ddraig waited with anticipation at the notion of how she would respond.

"Well?" Issei asked.

"We will accept. If my sister is helping you, then I shall help you as well. My Flight and I shall be there when you call for it," Linvala said.

"Shall we form a contract once more?" Issei asked. Linvala sent him a soft smile and nodded. She extended her hand and Issei grabbed it in his own and a surge of white mana coursed between them.

"Our contract is remade once more. I shall be in your care," Linvala said as she winked at Issei.

Issei smiled. He had done it. He had made contact with one of the biggest forces in Zendikar as well as acquire their help.

"Now, tell me. What have you been doing in your time away from Zendikar?" Linvala said as she looked Issei in the eye.

"I went back to my homeplane. The plane I was born in," Issei said.

"Oh?" Linvala asked.

"Yeah, I visited my parents' graves for the first time in nine years. I met my friend again," Issei said.

Linvala's eyebrow arched in amusement when she heard the word "friend".

"Male or female?" Linvala asked.

"Ummm," Issei's face turned red when he remembered what Irina had done before he left. He remembered how soft her lips felt on his own. The electrick spark that ran between the two in that exact moment. His hands flew up to his lips and touched them. His action did not go unnoticed by Ddraig or Linvala.

"Oh, so you do have someone!" Linvala said, smiling brightly.

**[Yup, the girl even kissed him before he left]** Ddraig boomed, laughing.

"Awww, Issei, am I going to be an auntie soon?" Linvala asked.

"No!... _Not yet_," Issei said, muttering the last portion in hopes that they didn't hear.

Unfortunately for him, they had heard and started laughing raucously. Issei pouted and glared but after a few minutes, he smiled and joined them. He welcomed this. These little moments in the heat of war. Moments that would become sparse within the coming days.

* * *

**Review Replies:**

**jaciro5000: The White Avatar is dead. Because of the Black Avatar so that should give you an idea of who the White Avatar is. Keep in mind that Planar Avatars don't die and can survive even if the plane is destroyed. Some examples are the Bog Entity and the Davriel's Entity. On Earth, the Mana Avatars are directly tied to the survival of the Earth's Worldsoul so the White Avatar is currently recovering.**

**Ragnarshadow: Actually, that would fit well with Asia's Healer Archetype and the fact that she is an auramancer. That would make her, her allies, and whatever she summons much stronger. Interesting. I might make her use that.**

**GodzillaFanboy2019: I'm actually just using them since I like Mash.**

**DarkscytheDrake: Thank you! It was kind of difficult to adapt his Boost Ability in terms of card text.**

**Chronos0305: I might consider using Terra since I haven't come up with one myself. Thank you!**

* * *

**Yeah, so they have encountered Sifa and since the only Planeswalker they know is Issei and Ajani, Irina and the others are preparing for the worst. And Asia has learned a thing or two from Sorin so her ultimate spell will be a secret. We're making good progress in this arc so far. Anyway, Sona is suspicious about Rias and what she's hiding as well as Sairaorg and we have found out that... Mash helped Asia and Irina escape the Church when Asia was branded with the mark of a witch. So that's all I have to say. Again sorry for the late update. Have a great day/night, the choice is yours. Also, remember! Follow and Fave. Also Review!**


	14. The Genocide Archbishop

**Hey, hey! Sorry for the late post. I've been working on a rewrite but rest assured, I have not forgotten about this fic! Without further delay, let's get started!**

**I do not own Magic: The Gathering or Highschool DxD.**

* * *

**[Ddraig talking]**

_**[Ddraig thinking]**_

_Mental Communication_

"Regular Dialogue"

**Attacks/Spells**

* * *

"Have you located them yet?" Sona asked as Rias looked over at a projection of Kuoh Town. Bright red x's dotted the town while points of interest were highlighted on the map. Rias sighed and turned around to face Sona. Sairaorg leaned against the wall while their queens sat on the couch.

"I'm grasping at straws here regarding their location. Cut me some slack okay?" Rias said as she turned back to the map.

"Right… sorry, it's just that this entire thing has me on edge," Sona apologized.

"It's alright. We're all a little on edge right now," Rias said as she swiped across the map, zooming in on the town whenever something caught her eye.

"So these X's are?" Sairaorg asked, walking over.

"They're recent sightings of people that fit the description given to us by the exorcists that the church sent here," Rias said as she clicked on one.

The image of an old man wearing priestly clothing appeared in front of them.

"Not very… discreet by the looks of it," Tsubaki commented as she looked at the photo.

"Quite," Sona said as she zoomed out.

"When do you think the exorcists are getting here?" Akeno asked.

They turned when they heard the door open.

"Sorry, we're a bit late," Galahad said as he walked inside with Mash and Xenovia.

"It's quite alright," Sairaorg said.

"What do you have for us?" Xenovia asked. Rias narrowed her eyes before coughing into her hand.

"We've had multiple sightings of Valper Galilei across Kuoh as well as reports of several murders. The victims all exhibited wounds that were inflicted by a firearm and a blade," Rias said. "All centered around this location."

She pointed to the ruined church building on the other side of town.

"So we know where they are. What's the problem?" Xenovia asked.

"The _problem_ is that we don't know how many of them there are. There could be hundreds, thousands even and we don't know if they relocated. They must know that we're on to them. After all… your entry into the town did not go unnoticed," Sona said.

"We know. How recent are these?" Mash asked.

"A few days," Rias answered.

"So they might not even be there anymore?" Galahad asked.

"There's a high chance that they're using this as bait," Sona mused, rubbing her chin. "From the reports we got from Rias's peerage members who were attacked by Freed Sellzen. He was wielding an Excalibur. But not just any Excalibur. He wielded Excalibur Rapidly and Excalibur Nightmare," she said.

Sona looked over at the exorcists, her intense violet eyes piercing right through them.

"You said that they stole Excalibur Fragments yes? What's the chance that they won't go for one of yours the minute we go investigate?" Sona asked.

"We don't know but we do know that we have to stop whatever it is they're planning at all costs. The Excalibur Fragments are powerful in their own right but if broug-!" Galahad's eyes widened at his self-realization. "No, it can't be…"

"What?" Rias asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"Valper Galilei was obsessed with Holy Swords. Specifically, the Excalibur. You all know of the Holy Sword Project I assume, considering that you're all High-Class Devils?" Galahad asked.

"We do. It was the one where children like Rias's Knight were experimented on in an attempt to locate those who can wield Holy Swords," Sairaorg said.

Galahad nodded.

"Yes, well, Valper's attempt was to find not a wielder of any regular old Holy Sword but the Excalibur. I fear that his goals have moved on from trying to find a wielder. He already has one in the form of Freed Sellzen," Galahad said, pulling up a picture on the map.

"What do you think he's trying to do?" Rias asked.

"We played right into his hands," Mash said. "We practically handed them to him. We think that he's trying to re-create True Excalibur."

"Galilei is trying to rebuild the Sword of Promised Victory?" Sona asked.

"Why else would he steal the fragments knowing full well that the Church would send Excalibur Wielders to come and retrieve it?" Galahad said.

"But you need all the fragments. Galilei has Rapidly and Nightmare. I think that you guys have Destruction, Transparency, and Blessing. The only fragments that we are unaware of are Ruler and Mimic," Sona said.

"Mimic went missing long before these fragments did. No one knows who took it or why," Xenovia stated.

"Even still. An incomplete True Excalibur is enough to pose a threat to all the factions, not just ours. And they can use an incomplete one to overpower the remaining Excalibur Wielders and take the weapons for themselves," Mash said.

"We need to keep our eyes peeled. Akeno, go notify the others," Rias ordered. Akeno nodded and teleported out of the room.

"What about the rest of us?" Mash asked.

"We'll take care of locating them. For now, you just get some rest. Oh, except for you Galahad. We'll need your help," Sona said as she observed the map.

"Right," he said.

"Rias. Sona. If you don't mind, Kuisha and I will return to the Literature Club. There's a meeting right now and we're late," Sairaorg said.

Rias smiled before nodding.

"Don't forget the rubber!"Rias called out. Sairaorg flipped her the bird as he and Kuisha walked down the stairs.

"You're gross you know that?" Sona said as she zoomed in and out of portions of Kuoh Town.

"At least I'm not uncomfortable with it," Rias joked.

"...," Sona huffed before returning her focus back onto her work.

* * *

**Literature Club Room**

* * *

Irina sighed as she placed a few papers down in front of her. Raynare sat in front of her, doing her math homework as she flitted back and forth between her worksheet and her textbook. A calculator made its home in her left hand as she punched in a few numbers. Violet rimmed glasses adorned her face as her eyes scrunched up in concentration.

Asia sat on a chair buried in a book titled _So You Want To Be An Auramancer?_. Murayama, Katase, Matsuda, and Motohoma were all at a table doing their homework.

"Ugh… I knew I should've listened to dad whenever he talked about vector calculations," Raynare said as she slammed her head onto the desk.

"Have you even called your parents?" Irina asked, not looking from her papers.

"Er… no," Raynare said.

"They must be worried about you," Irina said, looking at her.

"I… haven't really had time to call them," Raynare said, looking down.

"Well, you should call them. They're probably worried about you," Irina said.

"I never told you who my parents were, did I?" Raynare said.

Irina shook her head. She had stopped looking at her papers long ago.

"My father is the leader of the Fallen Angels, Azazel. Issei and Gisela know this because I told them and Rias referred to me as the Princess of the Grigori. My mother is the strongest female fallen angel, Penemue," Raynare said. "If my parents knew where I was, they'd personally lead an armada into Kuoh and level the town if it meant keeping me safe so when Kalawarner and Dohnaseek blackmailed me, I told them I was going on vacation and attending a human school."

"Is that what you told that blonde fallen?" Irina asked.

Raynare nodded.

"I threatened her and told her to tell my parents that I was okay and that I'd tell them what happened myself. Obviously, I haven't done that but…"

"But?"

"What do I say? I lied to them about what was happening!" Raynare said.

"Just tell them the truth," Irina said.

Raynare remained silent and nodded. "I'll call them later," she said.

"Or call them now. You did say that you needed help with vector calculations," Irina said, smiling at her.

"Okay but don't say anything," Raynare said. "I need quiet for this."

Irina nodded and pointed to the restroom that was inside the clubroom.

Raynare stood and walked over, opened the door and entered the restroom, closing the door behind her. She inhaled deeply before letting out a long-winded breath. She closed her eyes and pressed her hands against her cheeks. Raynare swiped her hand and formed a CC. She scrolled and found the contact that she had been looking for.

_Dad_

Raynare clicked the contact and waited as the circle rang.

_*Ring*_

_*Ring*_

_*Ring*_

"_Hello?"_ a male voice came from the circle.

"Dad…," Raynare said.

"_Ray-Ray?_" her father called from the circle.

"Hey, Dad… sorry, it took me so long to call," Raynare said.

"_No, no. It's okay. You must have been busy with school right?_" Azazel asked.

"Er… no, did Mittelt tell you what happened?" Raynare asked.

"_Yes. She told us that Dohnaseek and Kalawarner were killed by a stray devil and that was working with a couple of rogue exorcists_," Azazel said.

"Dad… that's not what happened," Raynare said, leaning against the door.

Azazel went quiet over the other end of the line. The only indication that he was even there were the sounds of his breathing and the sounds of several pieces of machinery that made up the white noise in the background.

"_What happened?" _Azazel asked.

"They… um, they were blackmailing me. You remember Asia right?" Raynare asked.

"_The Twilight Healing Girl? Yeah, why?_" Azazel said.

"She got excommunicated," Raynare explained.

"_Mhm. I heard from Michael that she did and it was one of the hardest choices that he had to make in his life_," Azazel said.

"Well, Dohnaseek and Kalawarner somehow found out about it and my relationship to her. They used it against me and forced me to come with them to Kuoh. They also brought Armaros with them and he attacked me after I made a friend. He was the one that helped me get out of the situation I got into. I'm… I'm sorry that I never told you and Mom what was happening. It was just… I was afraid that if I did, they would kill Asia," Raynare said as tears began to drip out of her eyes.

Azazel remained quiet the entire time Raynare spoke. She began to grow worried that her father was angry with her and force her to come home but the yelling never started. All she heard was a sigh of relief.

"_I'm just glad you're okay is all but I'm disappointed and hurt that you never told us what was happening. We would've helped you. You know that right? Your mother is worried sick!_" Azazel said.

"How is she?" Raynare asked weakly.

"_Penemue… she's been worried and it took me, Baraqiel, and Shemhazai to hold her down and prevent her from going to Kuoh to level the entire city alongside all the islands in Japan_," Azazel said.

Raynare chuckled a little at her father's words.

"That sounds like Mom," she laughed.

Azazel let out a hearty laugh over the CC.

"Dad, I have to tell you something," Raynare said.

"_Yes?_"

"There are rogue exorcists here in town with Excalibur Fragments. The Church sent some exorcists to come and retrieve them but I don't know if we'll be able to beat them and defend the town at the same time. Can you send someone over to help us out like Vali or something?" Raynare asked.

"_Your brother? Sure, the kid's been bored for days on end anyway. A good fight or a fight, in general, will surely get him out of this rut he's been in for the past several days_," Azazel said.

"Thanks, Dad," Raynare said.

"_Hey. I'm your father. It's my job to protect and help my little raven princess_," Azazel said, laughing.

"Daaad," Raynare pouted.

"_Oh. Before you do anything else, call your mother. Let her know that you're okay_," Azazel said.

"I will," Raynare said. Azazel severed the link and Raynare sat there, smiling. She then went through her contacts once more and clicked on the contact titled _Mom_.

* * *

Irina smiled as she heard Raynare's muffled voice coming from the bathroom and returned to her work. She was promptly interrupted by the smell of something burning and saw Motohama stepping back with a ball of flame in his right hand. Irina watched with blank eyes as Katase stood and cast a blue spell, dispersing the flames.

Irina sighed and returned back to her work. In front of her, Asia waved her hands in circular motions as different ethereal animals appeared in the air above her, all moving around and playing joyously as their creator laughed.

Asia's emerald green eyes were alit with joy as she finally mastered her ethereal conjuring.

_Sorin-sensei told me that people who used magic that involved nature often used the overwhelming concept of community to achieve their means. All I need to do now is to master the other aspect. Fortification and Population. And maybe learn a couple of other spells on the side to defend myself,_ Asia thought to herself. She snapped her fingers and the spirit animals disappeared.

A clapping sound came from the door as they turned and saw Sairaorg with Kuisha and Gisela standing there. Kuisha was clapping loudly while Sairaorg smiled.

"That was an impressive display of magic, Asia-san," Kuisha praised. Asia blushed slightly and rubbed the back of her head.

"It was nothing. Nothing to what Nii-san could achieve," Asia said.

"Don't put yourself down, Asia," Gisela said. "You're getting there."

Asia beamed with pride at their praises before returning her attention to the other portions of the book.

"So, what's the plan?" Irina asked, placing the papers down.

"The exorcists and our peerages are being dispersed across the town to investigate possible sightings of Freed Sellzen and Valper Galilei," Sairaorg said.

"All of you?" Irina asked.

"Yes, all of us," Kuisha said.

"We were hoping if we could get your assistance in scouring the town," Kuisha asked.

"Motohama, do we have any blue spells that are capable of scrying an entire city?" Irina asked.

"Yes, we do actually. A mass enchantment spell called _Eyes Everywhere_," Motohama said.

"Of course you would know that," Murayama said.

"Anyway," Motohama said, ignoring her."It will allow you to scry any location within the enchantment's field using any reflective surface. Masters have been able to do it with just their mind's eye too. I guess it all depends on how much skill you have."

"Will you be able to cast it on the entire town?" Sairaorg asked.

"No, but Irina and I together can do it," he said.

"How much energy between the two of us do we need?" Irina asked.

"A lot. This thing takes a lot of energy to cast," he said.

"Is there any way we can help?" Kuisha asked.

"No, not for this. Irina, we'll need to focus the spell from somewhere. An anchor of sorts," Motohama said.

"Can the anchor be mobile?" Irina asked.

"Yes, the anchor can be mobile," he answered.

"I'll be the anchor," Irina said.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. Now, let's do it," Irina said.

"Wait, we need to go to the highest point in the school to do this," he said.

Irina nodded and stood. The door behind her opened and Raynare walked out with a serious look on her face. Her violet eyes looked at everyone intensely.

"Irina, I got Dad to send someone to help us," she said.

"Who?" Irina asked.

Raynare smiled.

"My brother," she simply said.

* * *

Kiba and Koneko walked down the streets of Kuoh, surveying the area. Rias had ordered them to scour the town and keep a lookout for any stray exorcists that might be present and eliminate them immediately. They were also given a secondary mission. If said exorcist knew of the location of Valper Galilei, they would acquire the information pronto then eliminate them.

Kiba clenched his fist as he thought of the man. _Valper. You're the reason my life was destroyed. Why all my friends died_! Kiba thought as his brows scrunched up in fury. He felt someone tugging on his arm and saw Koneko looking at him with worried eyes. Kiba's face fell before he smiled and patted her head.

Koneko looked up at him dryly before swatting his hand away. She continued walking while Kiba just chuckled a little.

"You need to focus," Koneko said as she kept walking. Her golden eyes were keenly scanning the surrounding area, looking for any abnormalities in the crowd.

"Yeah, I know. It's just that… I'm trying so hard to put my past behind me. Issei… his parents died here yet he still has the courage to come and face his past and overcome it without being blinded by his feelings about it," Kiba said.

"Irina too."

Kiba looked at her curiously.

"Irina. Asia told me that she knew those exorcists and worked with them from time to time. Facing them is hard for her," she said.

Kiba looked down and remembered how they treated Asia in the clubroom. They called her a witch and he was pretty sure that the blue-haired one wanted nothing more than to lodge her blade deep into Asia's chest.

"And now, she'll be forced to work with them again," Kiba said.

"Yeah. Not good," Koneko said. She looked back at him. "You're not good either. Your hate for the Excaliburs is going to affect our mission."

"Koneko. Those swords they took my-!"

"Swords are inanimate objects. Only other living beings can take the lives of other living beings," she said.

"You're being rather talkative today," Kiba said.

"You need counseling. Rias and Akeno are too soft for that," she said.

"That's rather harsh but true. Rias-sama would probably just baby us if she found out something was wrong," Kiba mused as his eyes sparkled in amusement.

"Still though," he said.

Koneko looked at him curiously.

"At least I'm not on a scouting party with them," Kiba said.

Koneko nodded. Her eyes widened slightly when she sensed something odd coming from the warehouse.

"Strange," Koneko said, looking at the house.

"Isn't that the storage facility where that one stray devil… Viser I think her name was made her little hidey-hole before Issei blew her into oblivion?" Kiba asked.

Koneko nodded and made her way inside.

"Wait," Kiba said.

Koneko paused. Kiba pointed to a man walking out, holding a curved sword in his hand. Kiba narrowed his eyes when he saw the weapon.

_Excalibur_, he thought in anger. His entire body began to shake as he gritted his teeth. His eyes held flames of anger inside of them as he stared hatefully at Freed's sneering face.

"Freed," Koneko said, raising her fists in anticipation for a battle.

"Oh, what have we here?" Freed said as he held the sword in front of him. He had an insane grin on his face as he leveled the curved twisted blade at him.

"Koneko, signal everyone," Kiba said as he activated **[Sword Birth}**. "I'll hold him off."

Koneko nodded and hopped back. She opened her palm and summoned a small blue flame and thrust her hand towards the sky. A large spiral of fire shot into the skies of Kuoh.

"Looks like they found them," Rias said as she looked up at the sky.

"_So did we_," Irina said through the CC.

"Where are they?" Rias asked.

"_A warehouse over in the southwest_," Irina said.

"Got it," Rias said as she turned to Akeno. She nodded and the two formed a magic circle and disappeared in a flash of light.

Kiba and Freed danced around each other as their blades met in a flurry of sparks. Neither fighter gave ground as they both desperately tried to kill each other. Using his speed, Kiba easily dodged Freed's attacks however, due to the powers that Excalibur Rapidly granted him, freed was able to keep up with Kiba in terms of running speed.

As Koneko ran towards them, Kiba summoned another blade and swiped at Freed. The priest flipped backward before taking off towards Kiba once more.

Kiba deflected Freed's attack and sent a kick at Freed's midsection, sending the priest skidding back.

Freed growled as he took off towards Kiba once more. Kiba weaved his way out of Freed's strikes and hopped on one of the generators outside the warehouse. Freed followed as he thrust the blade at Kiba. Kiba expertly deflected the attack and vaulted off Freed's face, landing on the roof.

Freed growled and disappeared in a burst of speed and reappeared behind Kiba. He went and slashed Excalibur Rapidly at the Knight's unprotected back when Koneko appeared next to him and sent a devastating jab to his side.

Freed screamed in pain as he felt his ribs shatter and crashed into the ground below.

Koneko dusted off her fingers and looked at Freed's downed body.

"You didn't have to interrupt you know," Kiba said in an irritated manner.

"Might know where Valper is," Koneko said.

"Tch," Kiba growled as he hopped down to capture Freed. As he did, Freed suddenly swung Rapidly at Kiba, forcing him to raise his sword.

The sudden force of the blow sent Kiba, stumbling back. Freed took advantage of this and tried to stab Kiba but a sudden tremor caught Freed off guard and allowed Kiba to dodge at the last second. The knight slammed his knee into Freed's gut, sending the priest flying back.

Freed rolled across the ground, using the Excalibur to halt his movements. He glared at Kiba with hateful eyes but before he could move, a voice that Kiba had grown to despise more than a vampire despises the sun itself made itself known.

"Freed. I thought you said you could take care of the devils. Not the other way around," an old man wearing priest's clothing walked forward. In addition to the standard robes of a priest, the man also had the vestments of a bishop and wore a small cap on his head.

"Valper," Kiba seethed as his anger reached its tipping point.

"Yes, that's me," Valper said as he looked over at Kiba. The old man's eyes lit up in recognition as he saw him.

"Oh. One of you survived. I forget. Which one was you? Test Subject 016 or Test Subject 002?" Valper asked.

"You don't even remember who we were?" Kiba said lowly.

"Why should I? You were all failures," Valper said. He narrowed his eyes at Kiba as he analyzed him. "Or so it seemed…"

"Her name," Kiba said.

"Huh?" Valper looked at him confused.

"HER NAME WAS SARAH! NOT 002!" Kiba said, shooting off towards Valper. Valper smirked as Freed got in front of him and blocked Kiba, holding the Devil Knight back with impressive strength.

"Not so fast Blondie!" Freed said.

Kiba roared in rage as he pushed down on Freed. Freed's eyes widened as he fell to one knee and tried to push Kiba back.

"Freed."

The man turned to see Valper standing behind him.

"Why don't you try channeling your power into Rapidly?" Valper said.

"Channel my power huh?" Freed said as he began to pour his energy into the blade. The Excalibur Fragment began to glow gold, causing Freed to smirk. Freed laughed as he pushed back against Kiba.

Kiba's eyes widened when Freed shoved him back, causing him to skid over to Koneko's position.

"Now this is more like it!" Freed laughed maniacally as the aura began to cover him. He disappeared from their sight, forcing them to raise their guards to the utmost level.

"Pay attention devils!"

Kiba's eyes widened as he turned to see Freed preparing for an overhead slash when someone slammed into his side.

Freed was sent flying into a tree. Xenovia landed in front of Kiba, a massive black blade in her hand.

"Freed Sellzen. Valper Galilei. You have committed crimes against the Church and her people! In the name of the Lord, Our God, I shall send you to perdition as by His will," Xenovia said as she leveled the black blade at them.

Behind her, Mash, Galahad, Ryuuji, and Arata landed with Irina, Raynare, and Asia.

Valper eyed her blade along with the swords that Galahad and Mash had. His eyes also drifted to Irina, specifically to the string tied to her shoulder and began to laugh.

"So, the other four have come. All gathered before me," he said.

"The wielder of Destruction," he said, glancing at Xenovia.

"The wielders of Transparency and Blessing," Valper said, eyeing Mash and Galahad respectively.

"And the icing on the cake. The Exorcist who stood up for the Witch that healed a pathetic devil," Freed laughed.

Irina narrowed her eyes and glared at him.

"You're in no room to laugh and make jokes," Irina said, leveling a sword that she had summoned at him.

"Not gonna use it?" Valper asked. "I mean, you went through such great lengths to steal it after all."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Irina said.

"Heh, you've haven't told them what you did haven't you? I bet that nun doesn't even know what you did?" Valper asked.

Galahad and Xenovia looked at each other while Mash narrowed her eyes.

_How!?_ She wondered.

"Shut up!" Irina said as she leveled her sword at him.

"Huh, well then," Valper said as he noticed a red, blue, and violet magic circle appear next to them.

"Freed!" Valper yelled.

"Right-o boss man!" Freed said. Freed jumped over to Valper's location. He pulled a small golden bead out of his breast pocket and pressed it. He slammed it into the ground and everyone was forced to close their eyes as a bright light erupted from the sphere.

When the light died down, Valper and Freed were gone. Xenovia growled as she stored Excalibur Destruction inside its pocket dimension and began to walk away. Irina dispelled her sword and looked to Asia and Raynare.

"He got away," Kiba said as he glared at the spot where Valper and Freed were.

"Yes, but there will be other opportunities," Galahad said.

Mash looked at her brother before walking over to Irina. Irina had a dark look on her face as she looked at the string wrapped around her arm.

"Irina?"

Irina turned to see Mash looking at her with a worried gaze.

"I'm fine," she said.

"We have a problem," Galahad said.

"What is it?" Rias asked as she walked out of the magic circle

"My fragment's been stolen," Galahad said.

"What? How?" Sona asked.

"It must have been when he threw the flashbang," Sairaorg stated as he walked over.

"Do you all still have your fragments?" Rias asked as she looked at Xenovia and Mash.

"We do. I stored mine in my dimensional storage seal," Xenovia answered.

"I have mine," Mash said, summoning Transparency from her storage.

"We have to keep them safe. Those two are most likely their next targets since they wield Destruction and Transparency," Sairaorg said.

"What about Irina?" Xenovia asked.

"What about her?" Mash retorted, standing in front of the girl.

"Valper said that she had something. Something important. Something that they want," Kiba said, looking at her.

Irina looked at them with an emotionless gaze before sighing. She pulled the string that had been tied to her arm since the day she had left the Church and tugged on it. The string glowed white and its entire form rippled before transforming into a beautiful O-Katana. Its golden hilt shone in the setting sun while its silver blade gave off an ethereal light.

"You had it? You were the one that stole it!?" Xenovia said. She walked over to her with anger in her eyes and grabbed Irina's collar.

Irina merely looked at her with a blank gaze before placing her palm on Xenovia's torso.

_Blustersquall_, Irina said inside her mind as a blast of concussive wind sent Xenovia flying away from her.

Xenovia let out a gasp of pain as she crashed through the wall of the warehouse and landed on the concrete floor.

The others looked on in shock was Irina's eye was shrouded with a flickering blue flame and held a look so cold, that they swore the temperature dropped several degrees around them.

Xenovia weakly got to her feet and looked at Irina angrily. The girl merely stood there, wind focusing into her palm, readying another blast of wind when Galahad placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Xenovia, let's go," Galahad said.

"But!?" Xenovia protested.

"That's an order," Galahad ordered.

"Tch," Xenovia dusted herself off and returned to Galahad's side.

"Right, so we have three people to protect," Rias said, coughing into her hand to get everyone's attention. "Irina. Xenovia. Mash. They have Excalibur Destruction, Mimic, and Transparency while the enemy have Rapidly, Nightmare, and as of recently, Blessing."

"If they get the other three, they'll be close to recreating True Excalibur or as close to recreating as one could get. Ruler is still missing," Galahad said.

"So how do we do this? Protect them I mean," Sairaorg said.

"I can take care of myself just fine," Irina protested.

"Yes, but this is more for the sword rather than you," Sona said.

"Gee, I can really feel the love here," Irina said.

"Our house," Asia said. Everyone looked at her in confusion.

"They can stay at our house," Asia said.

"Are you sure your house is even safe?" Xenovia asked.

"We have several multi-layered barrier spells as well as enchantments that can send any intruders to a random location," Irina said.

"Plus, Gisela is there so we have nothing to worry about," Raynare said.

"Oh right and Raynare called her father," Irina said.

"Who's her father?" Sona asked.

"Azazel," Rias said.

"Azazel? Who did he send to help us? Or rather, who did he send to protect his daughter?" Tsubaki asked.

"My brother," Raynare simply said.

"Let's talk more at your house. I think it'll be much safer there than standing out here," Mash said as she tugged on Irina's sleeve. Irina nodded and began walking in the direction of her house.

* * *

**Zendikar**

* * *

Issei and Ddraig landed outside the Allied Encampment with Linvala and her flight. Several Kor ran out to greet the angel. Linvala smiled nervously as praises were thrown in her direction. Ddraig shrunk down and flew over, perching on Issei's head as Issei made his way into the encampment. He spotted Jace with Gideon and Nissa looking at several maps.

"I was wondering what got them so stirred up," Jace said as he noticed Issei walking up to him.

"I found them. Iona and Linvala. They agreed to help us, not that they had much of a choice anyway," Issei said.

"Quite," Nissa said. "The Angels of Zendikar have been fighting these monstrosities long before planeswalkers got here."

"So when do we move?" Issei asked.

"In a few days at sunrise. We've tracked Ulamog and Kozilek to here," Jace said, pointing at a location on the map.

"We'll lure them here to the Timber Gorge," Nissa said. "There, I'll use my magic to call upon the Leylines and Jace will use Ugin's formula to bind the Eldrazi in place."

"However, we need to buy them time and that's where you, me, Kiora, and Chandra come in. With the forces we've gathered, we'll keep Kozilek and Ulamog at bay," Gideon said to Issei.

Issei nodded and looked back at the map.

"What about Emrakul?" Issei asked.

"Emeria hasn't been spotted since her release. We can't make heads or tails of where she is," Nissa said.

"Emeria is in the southern wastes," Kiora said as she walked up to them. Chandra followed behind her and grinned at Issei when she saw him.

"We'll deal with what we have right now," Jace said. "Emrakul will be dealt with when the time comes. Right now, we only have enough forces to fight off two of the titans and their brood. If Emrakul comes into play, we'll be hard-pressed for a victory. Already more so than we are right now."

"Are you all ready?" Gideon asked.

"Whenever you are," Issei said as Ddraig huffed in agreement.

* * *

**Next chapter will be the beginning of the Battle for Zendikar! Woohoo! Please leave a review. Follow and Favorite if you enjoyed and remember to have a great day/night or not, the choice is yours!**


	15. Battle of Zendikar Part 1

**Sorry for the late post guys! I came down with a stomach bug over the weekend and spent a good portion of Saturday and some of Sunday throwing up. Don't worry! I'm okay now! Now, let's get on with the show!**

**I don't own Magic: The Gathering or Highschool DxD.**

* * *

**[Ddraig talking]**

_**[Ddraig thinking]**_

**{Albion talking}**

_**{Albion thinking}**_

_Mental Communication_

"Regular Dialogue"

**Attacks/Spells**

* * *

**Zendikar**

* * *

"Today's the day, huh?"

Issei turned around and saw Chandra, walking up to him. She sat next to him, looking down over the edge of the Hedron. The camp was lively. A party was occurring. Kor, Elf, Man, Angel, Vampire, and Mer drank and laughed together. The realization that this will be their final night alive didn't bother them. Issei knew that look that they all wore. He had seen it. On Theros. On its people. It was the look of a people that were tired. Tired of being under the heels of someone else. Do or Die. These people were going to fight for their world's liberation.

"They're pumped. For tomorrow," Issei said.

"It doesn't matter to them. Before all this, they would've kept to themselves but… the threat of the Eldrazi unified them. The boundaries races are gone. Erased. They're one people as of right now," Chandra said.

"It's nice. This unity. If Elspeth was here… she would be happy," Issei said.

"I bet she would," Chandra said.

Chandra's eyes drifted down to a sleeping Ddraig, who was snoring lightly in Issei's lap.

"Hmph," Chandra said as she smiled. "You should follow Ddraig's lead. You'll need all the rest you can get. We are fighting two titans tomorrow after all."

"I should. I am kind of sleepy," Issei said, stretching his arms. He gently picked up Ddraig and stood. "Goodnight, Chandra."

"Goodnight, Issei," Chandra said, glancing at him from the corner of her eye. After Issei had left, Chandra returned her attention to the festivities below her. Footsteps alerted her to the presence of someone. Her amber eyes caught sight of the familiar blue cloak of the Mind Mage as he sat next to her, taking Issei's spot.

"Hey," Jace said.

"Hey," Chandra replied.

"I… Chandra… I want to say that I-!" Jace was interrupted as the Pyromancer placed a slender finger on his lips. She turned to him, the combination of the fire from below and the starlight from the skies casting a soft glow on her. At that moment, Chandra looked divine. More beautiful than any goddess on any plane.

"I know Jace. You don't have to say it. I do too," Chandra said, smiling softly.

"Huh… just in case we don't make it tomorrow," Jace said, leaning in.

* * *

Issei yawned as he raised his arms, stretching. He blinked his eyes sleepily as he scratched his rear. Looking over to the side, he spotted Ddraig, still sound asleep on the floor of the tent. Grabbing his coat, Issei walked out and saw Nissa, Gideon, Linvala, and Jace all huddled around a table, a map laid out in front of them. He made his way over, greeting them.

"Morning," Issei said, waving.

"A bit early for you isn't it?" Jace asked.

"Well, it's today. Where are the others?" Issei asked.

"Chandra is still asleep. So are the others. We figured that they should get more rest," Jace said. "Though, some of us woke up and decided to go over the plan."

"What is… the plan?" Issei asked, eyeing all four of them.

"It's simple really," Jace said, beckoning him to look at the map.

"Timber Gorge is a vast valley. We can draw the Titans and their brood there. A portion remaining army of Zendikarians will act as bait for the Titans. On the mountains, the rest of us will keep any of the Brood off them and assist them with long-range fire," Jace said.

"I will be with the Angels in the air, fighting a large number of their brood," Linvala said. "Iona stated that she'll provide the troops acting as bait with her halos to prevent them from being affected by the Eldrazi."

"Where will I be?" Issei asked.

"You'll be with Nissa up in the mountains. I figured that since you grew up with Ugin teaching you. You would be a good candidate for this. Issei, you and Ddraig will defend Nissa while she binds them to the leylines," Jace said.

"What about you?" Issei asked.

"I will be with Zendikar's troops," Gideon said.

"And you Jace?" Issei asked.

"Chandra and I will support from a distance with spells and try to take out a majority of whatever they might send at us as to release the burden on the main forces. Kiora and the Mer will support by attacking the Titans with the Roil," Jace said.

"I can add to the support for the forces that act as bait," Issei said.

"How exactly?" Nissa asked, curious.

"I can summon Dragons to help Linvala and the Angels as well as provide added air support," Issei answered.

"Hmm," Jace placed his hand on his chin and looked down at the map before looking at Issei.

"How many can you provide?" Gideon said.

"I need to amass the mana first but I can provide you with a lot," Issei said.

"What is a lot?" Nissa asked.

"**A lot**," Issei simply replied.

Jace just chuckled before going over the plan once more.

* * *

Issei and the others stood behind Jace as he looked out over a large mass of people. It seemed that every race in Zendikar had united together. The Eldrazi was really a wake-up call for all of them. It made him smile.

"What are you smiling about?" Chandra asked.

"Their unity. It's inspiring," Issei said, looking at her. He raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

"What?" Chandra asked after seeing his strange expression.

"Are you glowing?" Issei asked.

Chandra's eyes widened as a massive blush spread across her face. She started to sputter as portions of her hair caught fire. Gideon and Nissa, who had heard the entire exchange, looked at Chandra closely.

"Huh? He's right," Gideon muttered.

"So who was the lucky guy?" Nissa asked.

"Um… uhhh," Chandra said. "Oh look, Jace is starting his speech."

They all turned to see Jace clearing his throat.

"I'm not going to start with the 'You are all the greatest troops to have ever fought' spiel or the 'We will come out unscathed' because you all know what we're up against. I'm not going to lie. A lot of us will die," Jace said.

The crowd erupted into a sea of whispers as they all looked at Jace.

"But the fact that you're here means that you knew. You knew that you might die. And you're fine with that. You know why? Because you're tired. Tired of having your homes destroyed. Of having loved ones taken from you. Having your world turned inside out and torn apart. Any other day. You all would have been enemies. And maybe you will be after this again, who knows? But now. There is no human. No elf. No angel. No vampire. No kor. And no mer! I only see a resident of Zendikar. You are no longer separate races. You are all one people. And you will take a stand. The Eldrazi might be powerful. They might be numerous. But so are we! We have one thing that they don't have. Our will! They can our bodies but they can never break our will!

"So I present you all with a choice. Lay down your swords and die for nothing! Or hold them fast and die for something," Jace said.

A moment of tense silence passed after Jace finished his speech. No one moved. No one dared to speak. Jace looked out over the crowd and saw one person, a vampire, moving forward. He stood in front of Jace and stared at him.

"I'm a vampire. I'm supposed to feed on mankind but… I never imagined I would die fighting beside one," he said. He drew his sword and raised into the air.

His next words made Jace smile.

"But you're right. We aren't vampires or humans. We are Zendikar and this is our home. And if they want it, they'll have to pry it from our cold, dead hands! LET THEM COME!" the vampire roared. Everyone in the crowd cheered at his words and drew their weapons, raising them into the air.

"Looks like they're ready," Linvala commented.

"That's the Living Guildpact for you," Issei said.

Jace turned around to face them and gave them a smirk. A smirk that said that everything will work out fine.

"Let's do this," Jace said.

* * *

**Timber Gorge**

* * *

"_Have you spotted them?_"

Gideon opened his eyes and looked off into the distance. He let out an anxious breath as his brown eyes eyed the horizon. His fists clenched in anticipation of the coming threat as mana began to pool around him. For before him, in the distance, were the massive lumbering forms of the Eldrazi Titans in all their horrifying, eldritch glory. The skull-like masks of Ulamog sent terror flowing through the spines of the armies of both the ground and sky while the eyes of Kozilek violated the deepest recesses of their souls.

"_Gideon?_" Jace's voice called through their link.

"Yeah, they're here and they're uglier than usual," Gideon said, attempting to lighten their situation with a joke.

"_Good to know you haven't lost your sense of humor_," Chandra chided through the link.

"_Issei, do you have the mana you need?_" Jace asked.

"_Yeah. Gideon, be ready. I'm sending one your way so you can provide support on the air and the ground_," Issei said.

"_Just remember to use this link whenever you need assistance. One of us will come over,_" Jace said.

Gideon nodded at his words as he watched the Titans slowly approaching the mouth of the gorge.

A tingle surged through Gideon as he turned around and saw a massive pillar of red light emanating from the mountains. A screech alerted him back to his foes when he saw swarms of brood heading his way.

"Umm, Issei?" Gideon said. "You might want to hurry with those dragons?"

An ear-shattering roar pierced through the heavens as a torrent of fire shot across the sky, hitting one of the Eldrazi brood. A massive red dragon flew through the air followed by an entire swarm of dragons.

"Nice timing," Gideon said as he cast his barrier magic.

The dragon that had attacked one of the Eldrazi earlier, landed in front of Gideon. The massive reptilian beast eyed him curiously and sniffed him before growling and lowering its head. Gideon smiled as he hopped onto its neck. Whips of pure light manifested at the ends of his vambraces as he took off towards the horde.

"FOR ZENDIKAR!" Gideon cried out as he charged. His dragon steed roared in response. Seeing him take off, the armies let out a battle cry and charged towards the oncoming horde of eldritch monstrosities. Their cries echoed Gideon's as they all let out a unified roar.

"FOR ZENDIKAR!"

The two forces met and began clashing. The hordes of Eldrazi were being cut down by the forces enhanced by Gideon as he reigned light and fire down on the Eldrazi brood. Above them, the angels and dragons assisted as they clashed with the airborne forces of the Eldrazi. Claw and sword met tendril as they ripped each other apart in the skies above.

Streaks of blue and red rocketed across the air, tearing apart large swathes of the drones, chipping away at their forces.

* * *

"Nissa," Issei said as he looked at the chaos down in the valley. His eyes drifted to the lumbering forms of the Eldrazi Titans, who drew nearer and nearer with each step.

"I don't need much longer, Issei. Tell Jace that the leylines are almost ready," Nissa said.

Issei nodded as he and Ddraig stood guard in front of the Elven Planeswalker. Suddenly, a drone appeared out of nowhere and shot its tendrils towards Issei. Issei dodged. Summoning Godsend, he charged at the drone, slicing it in half and killing it.

**[These things are persistent]** Ddraig said as he looked down at the corpse in mild amusement.

"Just drones. They're doing what the main body tells them," Issei said.

**[Well, said main body is heading here right now]** Ddraig said as Ulamog turned its massive head over in their direction.

"Um, Nissa?" Issei said.

"Yes?" the elf said as she continued her work on the leylines.

"Ulamog is looking at us," Issei said.

"What?" Nissa said, turning around so fast, her neck might as well have snapped.

"Yeah," Issei said.

"JACE!" Nissa yelled over the link.

"_What is it? We're kind of busy keeping the Eldrazi off you at the moment,_" Jace said as the sound of a spell ripping across the air exploded through the link.

"Ulamog is coming to our direction!" Nissa shouted.

"_What!? Shit! Um, Kiora! Keep Ulamog off Issei and Nissa!_" Jace said.

"_Will do_," the merfolk Planeswalker said.

Issei turned around when he heard a loud crashing noise and spotted several columns of water, battering Ulamog's towering form. The titan stumbled back as several swirls of energy appeared in the sky, warping the reality around it and battered the titan.

"Nissa! Tell me when you're ready and I'll help inscribe the spell onto the Leylines. Right, now Ulamog is pumping out more drones in our direction!" Issei said as a pair of angelic wings sprung from his back.

"I will!" Nissa said as she poured more mana into summoning the leylines.

"Ddraig!" Issei took off, followed by the Dragon Emperor.

**[Get ready!]** Ddraig said as he swiped his claws, shredding a drone that tried to attach to him.

Issei twisted out of the way of the arm of a massive drone and landed on its bicep. Running up its arm, Issei leaped over to its skull and raised his hand. He pooled red mana into his hands as the sky grew dark above him. Red flames manifested around Issei's eyes as he threw his hands forward.

"**Kicked Comet Storm!**"

A hail of meteors descended from the sky, striking down each drone. He directed some of the comets towards the titans, striking them.

"Ddraig!" Issei called.

**[Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!]**

Ddraig opened his mouth and let loose a massive torrent of flames, incinerating all the drones in its path. The heat was so intense that even the other drones not caught within the flames ignited and burned to death, their screeches echoing across the entire valley. The flame traveled until it hit Kozilek, creating a large ball of flame that covered the titan's face.

Ddraig smirked.

**[Eat that freak]** Ddraig said.

The smoke and fire cleared to reveal Kozilek, who had a few minor burns but was relatively unharmed.

"_Issei. Ddraig. Get out of the skies now!_" Jace's voice called over the link.

The Titan of Distortion raised its hand and a small white vortex appeared at the center of it. It moved its hand slightly to the side. Issei and Ddraig ducked as a massive warping swathe of energy cut apart the entire landscape. Reality shattered and cracked, before collapsing into a singular point that swallowed everything around it. Issei and Ddraig tried to escape the pull but the force was too strong and began to drag them in.

"SHIT!" Issei yelled.

* * *

"_SHIT!_" Jace's face paled when he heard Issei's words. He looked to Chandra, who nodded. Her flaming eyes began to glow with more intensity as she created a large spear of fire and threw it at Kozilek. The spear pierced through one of the Titan's many eyes, forcing the white sphere to disperse as the remaining eyes, turned their attention on them.

"You alright Issei?" Jace called.

"_Yeah, thanks_," Issei's voice said.

* * *

"That was a close one huh?" Issei said as he landed on the ground, falling on his ass and laughing in relief.

**[Speak for yourself]** Ddraig said. **[We almost died.]**

"Issei," Nissa said. The elf's emerald eyes looked down at him with worry. "Are you alright? You almost died back there."

"I'm fine. How's the leylines coming along?" Issei asked.

"Fine. We're almost there. Just give me an hour and we'll have them up for the Titans to notice," Nissa said.

"Yeah," Issei said as he watched the others battle against the two godlike entities.

* * *

Kiora surfed alongside the roil as she slammed several columns of water into Kozilek's skull, sending the titan's head moving slightly to the side. She spun Thassa's Bident as she gathered more blue mana from her surroundings and blasted the titan.

"Having fun?" she turned and saw Gideon on the back of a dragon. The Theros Planeswalker thrust his hand, forward sending several whips of light at Ulamog. The Titan moved and swung its massive arms, forcing the two to move out of the way as the air around them warped and solidified into solid projectiles.

Gideon raised an aura barrier around him, causing the air to bounce off harmlessly while Kiora swung the bident, destroying all the bullets around her.

"How are the others?" Kiora asked as she resumed her assault on the Reeking Titan.

"Iona's halos are working well. Our forces are capable of fighting them without succumbing to the madness that comes with these beings," Gideon said as he lashed out at one of Ulamog's broods, bifurcating it.

"And Nissa?" Kiora asked.

"Issei says that she needs an hour," Gideon replied.

Kiora nodded at his answer.

"I know it's not the time nor is it the place but why did you steal Thassa's Bident anyway?" Gideon asked.

"When the Eldrazi woke up, I wanted some way to gain power to defeat them. To cast them out of my home. My world. So I fled. I went from plane to plane, gathering as many summons as I could," Kiora said as she called on her blue mana and summoned a leviathan to attack Ulamog. The massive sea beast clamped its jaws down on the Titan, forcing it to raise its arms and grabbed it. The Leviathan slowly turned white as all its mana was drained before crumbling to dust.

"So why Theros?" Gideon asked as he slashed Ulamog's arm.

"It was just another plane. There were things there that I did that I'm ashamed of but I found… necessary," Kiora said.

"Was that how you met Issei?" Gideon asked as he dodged the tendrils of one of Kozilek's drones.

"Yes. I disguised myself as one of the legends there. Callephe, I believe it was. I was how I met the three. The Knight, Elspeth, was on a journey to the Temple of Mystery at the Edge of the World. For what I had no clue but…," Kiora said, as she killed several broods.

"But?" Gideon asked as he cast a massive protective aura around the troops below.

"I stopped at the place I needed to go. Arixmethes," Kiora said as she summoned a massive wall of water and pushed it at the Titans.

"The sunken city?"

"No, it was a kraken. However, the Sea God, Thassa, wouldn't let me take it. She ignored the other three and sent them on their way but I fear that what I did may have caused the Sun God to see Planeswalkers as a threat due to what Thassa might have told him," Kiora said.

"I think that what you did was misguided. It wasn't right per say but your heart was in the right place," Gideon said as he dodged Kozilek's arm.

"Whatever, let's keep fighting. Jori and the forces down there need our assistance more than our conversation," Kiora said as she summoned more sea beasts.

* * *

Jace lowered his arm after several illusions dispersed after ripping apart one of Kozilek's brood lineages.

"Hey, can we talk about last night?" Jace asked.

"What about last night?" Chandra asked as her face began to slowly turn red. She incinerated a massive Eldrazi drone that was bearing down on the army.

"After what happened last night, what does that make, you know us?" Jace asked.

"Can we talk about this later? We're in the middle of the final battle of a war!" Chandra said exasperated.

"I know, I know. I just… want to know," Jace said.

Chandra went silent as she summoned a massive phoenix to assist the angels. She sighed.

"Jace, you know what this makes us," Chandra said.

"I know it's just that… I think Nissa has a crush on you," Jace said.

Chandra froze. Her flaming hair died as the full weight of Jace's words fell on her.

"W- What!?" Chandra sputtered, as a blush made its way on her face.

"I mean, you have no problem with that right?"

"Of course, I don't. I don't care if their male or female or whatever," Chandra said.

"Good. Good. I was getting worried," Jace said.

"Why?" Chandra asked as she blasted another Eldrazi drone.

"No reason," Jace said as a small trickle of blood made its way down his nose.

"Right," Chandra said as she shook her head.

"Anyway, I have to ask. What do you think about Issei joining our little band of world-hopping vigilantes?" Jace asked.

Chandra went silent. The thought of Issei being thrust into the oath made her heart clench.

"Issei's just a kid," Chandra said.

"He's a kid who has faced down Nicol Bolas and lived to tell the tale. He's more than ready to take the oath. If he wants to," Jace said as he destroyed another Titan.

"I know. But…," Chandra's mind flew back to the first time she met Issei.

* * *

"_Focus," Chandra whispered to herself as she sat on a stone slab. The fire around her raged, growing erratic as it incinerated everything it touched. _

"_Focus," she whispered._

"_Hi," a voice called out._

"_GYAAAH!" Chandra yelped in surprise, causing the fire to explode outward before dispersing. She turned to her intruder and saw a young boy, about five years younger than her, looking at her oddly. On his shoulder was a small red dragon that looked at her curiously._

"_I'm sorry if I scared you," the boy said, his hazel eyes looking at her meekly._

"_No, no. It's fine. Are you okay? I didn't burn you or anything did I?" Chandra asks, inspecting him._

"_Nope!" he chirped. "I used fire magic to defend myself!"_

"_Really?" Chandra asked, an eyebrow raised. A torch lit in her mind as she seemingly figured out his identity. "You're one of the Sage's kids right?"_

"_Sages?" the boy asked, tilting his head._

"_The Sages of Keral Keep. An order of Pyromancers that believes in personal freedom and individual choice? That Keral Keep," Chandra said._

"_I'm not from here," the boy said, sitting down next to her._

"_Not from here?" Chandra asks._

"_Yeah, I live far away!" the boy said._

"_What's your name, kid?" Chandra asks. She looked over and sighed in relief when she saw her satchel was unscathed. Those anti-fire charms worked miracles on everything._

"_Issei. My name's Issei! What's your name Nee-chan?" the now-named Issei asked._

"_Big Sister? Never thought I'd be called that again. Chandra. My name is Chandra," she said, introducing herself._

* * *

"So, you done reminiscing?" Jace asked as he forced more of his illusions to attack.

"Sorry, just remembering the time I met the brat," Chandra said in a nostalgic tone.

"Issei said that you almost set him on fire," Jace teased.

"I was young! I didn't have great control over my flames yet!" Chandra said as she blasted another one of the Eldrazi. She pooled red mana into her hands and unleashed a vortex of white flames that consumed all the Eldrazi that were spawning from Ulamog. The Reeking Titan swung its arm, dispersing the flames but not before being burned by them.

"Just... let him choose whether or not he wants to take the oath. Please," Chandra asked.

Jace nodded, resuming his assault on the Eldrazi.

Chandra smirked as she formed several spears of flames.

"Tired yet?" Chandra asked.

"Not even. That night helped train my stamina after all," Jace said as several blue wisps appeared around him.

The ground underneath them shook, forcing them to stumble.

"What was that?" Jace asked.

"Umm, Jace?" Chandra said, pointing behind him.

Jace turned around to see a massive elemental creature rising out of the ground. Green energy flowed through its entire body as its four massive arms moved slowly. Its legs lurched forward, causing the titanic elemental to lumber towards the Titans. As it passed Jace and Chandra, its wooden body creaked and turned to them slightly.

"What is that?" Chandra asked.

"An elemental maybe?" Jace asked.

"_Jace!_" Jace's face lit up when he heard Nissa's voice calling to him.

"Nissa? What's going on?" Jace asked.

"_I summoned some help. I'm almost done. Just a few more minutes. Head to my location when I call!_" Nissa said.

"That's some help you summoned," Jace said, eyeing the titanic elemental being. It swung one of its arms at Ulamog, sending the Titan skidding back.

"_Of course. That's Ashaya, the World Soul of Zendikar_," Nissa said.

"What'd she say?" Chandra said as she just watched Ulamog clash with the Elemental Titan. Below them, the forces retreated to avoid being caught between the two.

"You could always just tune in. I am maintaining a six-way telepathic link between us," Jace said,

"Nah, I'd rather you just tell me," Chandra said.

"She summoned the World to fight," Jace said.

"The World?"

"Zendikar's World Soul. She summoned it to help fight the Eldrazi Titans," Jace said.

"How long till she configures the Leylines for Ugin's Binding Formula?" Chandra asked.

"She said a few minutes," Jace said.

"Well then, there's something to keep us occupied for the next couple of minutes," Chandra said, pointing at the amount of Eldrazi that had just spawned from Kozilek.

"What did I do to deserve this?" Jace complained as he began to channel blue mana to his hands.

"You became a Planeswalker, that's what you did," Chandra said, smirking. Her hands were ablaze as she charged red mana.

"That was a rhetorical question," Jace said, conjuring a massive Phantasmal Dragon.

"And I gave you a rhetorical answer," Chandra quipped.

"...," Jace said as he ordered the Dragon to attack the Kozilek Brood.

* * *

Issei sighed as he dug Godsend into the ground, panting to catch his breath. Sweat dripped off his brow as he looked at the corpse of the massive brood of Kozilek lay before him.

"Nissa… you ready yet!?" Issei called as he picked up Godsend and readied himself as another Eldrazi Brood appeared in front of him.

"Two more minutes!"

Issei smiled as he looked at the Eldrazi Brood with tired eyes.

**[Issei]** Ddraig landed next to him, his talons containing pieces of Eldrazi flesh.

"Thanks," Issei said as he and Ddraig charged at the Eldrazi Brood. Ddraig grabbed the drone and slammed it on the ground. The Brood struggled as it grabbed Ddraig's hand and began to feed on his mana.

"LET GO OF HIM!" Issei said as he stabbed through the Eldrazi's skull. He dug Godsend's blade deeper into its flesh and ran across its body, cutting the Eldrazi open. He ran over to its arm and sliced it off, freeing Ddraig. The Dragon Emperor growled and slammed his paw on the Eldrazi, crushing it.

"Those two minutes are taking forever," Issei said as he summoned several angelic phantasms and had them attack one of Ulamog's broods.

**[I'll hold it off. Catch your breath and build up your mana. More are coming this way.]** Ddraig said as he lunged at the brood.

Issei inhaled, catching his breath and slowing down his panting. He gripped Godsend tightly as resolve burned in his eyes. He began to glow as white mana gathered around him, forming an intensely bright aura. He raised Godsend into the air as a small white light formed at the tip. The sphere expanded rapidly before swallowing the blade of Godsend and condensing into the shape of a sword.

Issei held the sword in front of him as he charged at the Brood that Ddraig was clashing with. He raised the sword above his head as he brought it down on the Eldrazi with righteous fervor.

"**DEICIDE!**" Issei yelled as a massive swathe of white light carved a large trench across the landscape. The mountains were cut apart as a portion of Timber Gorge became a chasm. The light wave impacted Kozilek, forcing the Titan back. The swathe cut the titan's arm off, vaporizing it.

Ddraig let out a whistle as he watched Kozilek reform its arm.

**[I think you pissed it off.]** Ddraig said.

"Yeah, no shit," Issei said as he readied another Deicide.

**[How many of those can you fire off?]** Ddraig asked.

"A couple. Why?" Issei asked him. He looked at Kozilek who had began to move towards them at an even faster rate than before. "Oh right. That. Yeah, let me get ready first."

Ddraig nodded and began boosting his power. Flames began to pool inside of his maw when Nissa called out for the two.

"It's ready! Get the others over here!" Nissa yelled.

"Got it!" Issei said as he tuned into the six-way link that the mind mage had created.

"Jace. We're ready. Nissa said that she's configured the Leylines. All we need now is to bind the Titans using the formula," Issei said.

"_We're coming over there right now. Keep the oncoming horde off us. Gideon, are you listening? Give the army the order to fall back,_" Jace said.

"_I will. We'll meet you there, Issei. Kiora already went ahead of me,_" Gideon said.

"_See you in a bit, brat_," Chandra said.

"Let's go," Issei said as he and Ddraig flew back over to Nissa's location. Issei landed behind the Elven Planeswalker as she turned around and gave him a smile.

"Any chance you know Ugin's Spell well enough to do it for Jace?" Nissa asked.

"I'm afraid I don't. I know of its workings but not how to actually cast the binds," Issei said.

"Well, at least they'll be here in a little bit so you only have to defend me for a few min- ISSEI, LOOK OUT!"

Issei turned and erected a barrier in front of him, Nissa, and Ddraig, barely blocking the highly pressurized blast of water on time. His eyes widened in shock at who their assailant was.

"You?"

Kiora stood in front of Issei with her bident, leveled at him.

* * *

**Reviews Replies:**

**DeltaMLP: Thank you for liking the story! I really appreciate it. As for why Issei is in school, yes, you would be right in assuming that Issei is behind in school curriculum but in regards to math and science, Issei spent some time with the Izzet Guild in Ravnica so he is fine with that. I never really went over Issei's academic life but he isn't good with his own plane's history but other subjects such as languages is taken care of by the Spark. His math and science area was more or less covered by his visits to Izzet Guild. As for Gisela being comfortable with Devils, it will be explained why she's more ask first, smite later in the Shadows over Innistrad Arc which will reveal some of Issei's time there.**

**Anon: I was under the impression that Sorin was in Zendikar around the time Elspeth and Issei were on Theros. In Chapter 10, I did have a little tidbit of Sorin being there to see the Eldrazi being released and Jace went to Ugin and Sorin before going off and planning to destroy the Titans' physical forms. As for Gisela, I have more or less decided to follow canon. **

**jaciro5000: Hmmm, I have plans for Avacyn. She is my favorite card. The Angel of Hope version. **

**ragnarshadow: The Kokabiel fight will take place when Avacyn is already being corrupted so this is my way of having them deal with a powerful enemy without a powerful ally.**

**MPRevilO: I have thought about it. It's the reason why I didn't teach Rias spells that say "Destroy Target Creature." More or less, a lot of the cards are going to keep the same effects, just translated to story format. Can you imagine Asia casting Wrath of God, Day of Judgement, or Planar Cleansing?**

**That's it for this chapter. I am so sorry for all of you who ship Chandra and Nissa. I published this story before I found out about Chandra and Nissa's relationship. I will keep Chandra's sexual orientation the same though. Maybe a love triangle between Nissa, Chandra, and Jace which may end one of two ways. The three just decided to be in a polygamous relationship or I have Jace go with Liliana but... after finding out Liliana is using Gideon's last name for her new alias, Ana Iora..., you get the gist. The next chapter will be the end of the Zendikar and Eldrazi Arc and we'll get back to the Kokabiel Battle. Write down in the review whether or not, Issei should take the oath! Until next time, review, favorite, and follow! Remember to have a great day/night or not, the choice is yours!~ **


	16. Battle of Zendikar Part 2

**Here it is. The final battle of Zendikar!**

**I do not own Magic: The Gathering or Highschool DxD. The two franchises are owned by Wizards of the Coast and Ichiei Ishibumi respectively.**

* * *

**[Ddraig talking]**

_**[Ddraig thinking]**_

**{Albion talking}**

_**{Albion thinking}**_

_Mental Communication_

"Regular Dialogue"

**Attacks/Spells**

* * *

**Timber Gorge, Zendikar**

* * *

Jace struggled to remain standing as Ulamog slammed his arm into the ground, rending the mountain next to them into dust. He formed a blue sphere of energy and threw it at the titan, deflecting it.

"What's going on?" Chandra asked as she bathed Ulamog in flames. "I thought Nissa bound them and is in the process of assimilating them into the leylines."

"Something's wrong," Jace said as he hovered next to her. He watched as Ulamog begin to consume the mana from the land. The trees underneath the Eldrazi began to turn into iridescent crystals, resembling that of bismuth as Jace watched as the green mana was siphoned from the trees and into Kozilek himself. Jace looked up at the Titan as it remained still, passively draining the plane they were fighting so hard to free.

"_Jace! What's happening?_" Gideon's voice called out inside of Jace's mind.

"I don't know. The binding spell, it's not working," Jace said. "It did for a moment but now, the titans are getting stronger."

"_Well! Whatever it is, we need to deal with this now! I don't know how long I can hold Kozilek here_," Gideon said.

"Got it," Jace said. "Chandra!"

"I heard. We need to go check on Nissa now!" Chandra said.

Jace nodded as he summoned a Phantasmal Dragon and stepped on it as Chandra used her flames to boost her speed and fly over to Issei and Nissa's location.

"Kiora? What the hell are you doing?" Issei asked as he dropped into a fighting stance. **[Boosted Gear]**'s gem began to glow slightly on his left arm as he narrowed his eyes at her.

Kiora stood across from him with Thassa's Bident, Dekella, leveled at him. Her eyes were glowing blue as mana poured off her body, giving her an azure aura.

"Set them free," Kiora said.

"What?" Nissa asked incredulously as she maintained her grip on the Eldrazi Titans.

"Can't you sense it? The Eldrazi, the minute you bound them and connected them to the plane's leylines, they began to assimilate the entire plane into their being," Kiora said. "They're eating this entire universe as we speak."

"Nissa? Is she lying?" Issei asked as he tightened his grip on Godsend.

"N- No! She's right! Kozilek and Ulamog are consuming all of Zendikar. At this rate, they'll absorb the entire world into themselves," Nissa said as her eyes widened in fear. Her grip, however, remained ironclad as she focused on keeping the Titans rooted to their spots.

"Tch! Well, we're still not letting them go," Issei said. "We'll find a way to deal with them! But letting them go! Just so they can continue terrorizing this world and all other worlds around them! No way in hell!"

"What!? Are you insane!?" Kiora said. "There is no possible way to defeat the titans. Ugin, Sorin, and Nahiri! All three of them, Planeswalkers of extreme power stronger with just one of them than the entirety of our armies and teams combined was unable to defeat them. They were only capable of sealing them away. What hope could you possibly have in defeating them if they could not!"

"As I said, we'll find a way to defeat them! Why are you giving up so easily!?" Issei said.

"Because it's impossible! The Eldrazi are Gods! Gods who consume entire universes in their wake! They can never be defeated! It's impossible!" Kiora said as she twirled the bident. "Now stay out of my way or I'll be forced to stop you!"

"Like hell, I'll let you interrupt Nissa!" Issei said as he charged at her. Issei raised Godsend over his head and brought it down for a downward slash against Kiora.

Kiora raised her bident and blocked Godsend, sending a shockwave traveling across the entire area.

"Fool! You'll let this world die and all for what! A plan that won't even work!" Kiora said as she summoned a torrent of water that slammed into Issei's chest.

"GAH!" Issei coughed up blood as he was thrown into a tree.

"Now, Nissa. End the ritual or I'll do it for you!" Kiora said. "Let the Eldrazi go. It's the only way we can keep Zendikar from being destroyed!"

"Never!" Nissa said as her eyes glowed. Several roots erupted from the ground and began to assault Kiora, forcing her to erect a barrier made of pure water to defend herself from impalement.

"Damnit, Nissa! The plane will be destroyed if we keep them bound for any longer!" Kiora screamed as she thrust her hand forward. A watery portal opened in the air as several tentacles sprung forth and clashed with the roots.

"Tch! Issei!" Nissa called.

"**[Welsh Dragon Balance Breaker!]**"

Issei jumped from the tree and slammed his fist into Kiora's water barrier. Kiora's eyes widened as she struggled to hold the barrier intact

"HAAAH! STAY OUT OF THIS!" Kiora said as she summoned several Mer constructs to surround Issei. Issei jumped back as one of the constructs send a jab with its trident towards him. Issei summoned Godsend and began to fight the constructs before he channeled white mana into his hand.

"**Miraculous Entreat the Angels!**" Issei said as he summoned several angels to fight for him.

"Keep them busy!" Issei yelled as he stabbed Godsend into the ground.

**[Are you sure about this, Partner?]** Ddraig asked.

"_We have no choice. On Theros, Kiora wiped the floor with me when she stole Dekella. The Theros Gods are powerful and she's channeling the power of the Sea Goddess through her on top of her Planeswalker Spark. I have no choice but to use it. It's our most powerful form," _Issei said.

**[Ugh. Don't remind me of our first loss. Even after you summoned me, that bitch wiped the floor with me.]** Ddraig said. **[Here we go.]**

Issei opened his eyes which began to glow with golden light.

"_**[I who am about to awaken.]**_

"_**[Am the Red Dragon Emperor who has broken past the limitations set forth by God.]**_

"_**[I surpass the Infinite. I transcend the Dream.]**_

"_**[I shall become the Red Dragon who reaches the Ur.]**_

"_**[And show you the limits of true boundlessness!]**_

"_**Angelic Dragon Destiny Drive!**__" Issei said._

A golden pillar of light erupted from Issei as his form was encased in scarlet armor. The usual green gems of the **[Boosted Gear]** became golden. Two pairs of wings erupted from Issei's armor. One pair of massive golden feathered wings and the second pair were golden energy draconic wings. The spikes that lined Issei's gauntlets became golden as steam poured from the spikes. A golden aura erupted from Issei and slammed down on the entire area as mana flowed from his form.

"What the…?" Kiora turned to see Issei clad in scarlet and gold armor.

"It's over," Issei said as he picked up Godsend. He vanished from sight, causing Kiora's eyes to widen.

A trickle of green blood ran down her face as Issei appeared behind her with Godsend in his hand. Her blood stained the blade as Issei glanced at her.

"Give up," Issei said as he charged a **Deicide**.

"Never!" Kiora said as she began to charge blue mana into Dekella. "Whelming Wa-!"

"**Counterlash!**"

Kiora's wave was dispelled, causing her eyes to widen. She looked up and saw Jace and Chandra heading in their direction.

"Issei! Restrain her!" Jace said.

"**Bonds of Faith!**" Issei said as he snapped his fingers. Kiora's eyes widened in rage as she was bound with ethereal energy chains. "Damn you!"

"Shut up!" Issei said as he charged at her with his fist cocked back.

**[Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!]**

Kiora cried out in pain as she was sent crashing through several trees before impacting the face of a cliff.

"You bastard!" Kiora growled as she summoned all the blue mana her body could handle.

"Let's with this! A Stormtide Leviathan!" Kiora said as she summoned a massive brownish-green catfish. Its scales shone in the sun as it opened its massive maw. The weight of the fish crushed the mountainside as it floundered on the dry land. Everything underneath it was crushed by its struggle to move. Kiora raised her hand and water came with the summon as it battered the mountains and cliffs, submerging the leviathan by encasing it in a sphere of water.

"JACE! THE WATER IS GOING TO FLOOD THE VALLEY AND SWEEP AWAY THE TROOPS!" Issei called as he began to clash with Kiora's Leviathan.

"I got it! You focus on keeping Kiora away from us while we find a way to deal with the Titans!" Jace yelled.

Issei nodded before pushing back against Kiora's Leviathan. He brought his foot up and delivered a devastating kick to the beast's chin, sending its head flying upward. Issei dove underneath its girth and headed straight for the Mer Planeswalker.

Kiora raised Dekella and blocked Godsend as sparks flew from their clash.

"_Ddraig! I need you to take care of the Leviathan! Can you do that while I deal with Tuna over here?" _Issei asked.

**[It's just a giant fish. I got it.]** Ddraig said.

Issei's eyes glowed as Ddraig appeared behind him and began to engage Kiora's summon.

"I defeated Thassa. I will not be bested by some child in armor!" Kiora yelled as she forced Issei back. She kicked him in the stomach, sending him skidding back. Leveling Dekella at Issei, Kiora sent an extremely condensed blast of water at Issei.

Issei's form flickered from existence and reappeared behind Kiora.

"You're too slow," Issei said as he brought his fist down on the back of her head. His eyes widened when several small blue rifts opened behind her. Tentacles sprung from the rifts and wrapped around his arms and torso and launched him into a tree.

"Maybe it's you who's too slow," Kiora said. "You think some fancy armor is going to help you here? Did you forget? I possess a deity's weapon and defeated her without one. What hope do you have of standing against me?"

"You're not the only one with a divine weapon," Issei said, clenching his left fist and tightening his grip on Godsend.

"The Sword of Chaos, right? That's what Godsend is? The legendary blade of the God Purphoros which he forged in his battle against the Sun God, Heliod," Kiora said.

"Hmph! It's not the only one. Do you see this armor? This armor is generated by a Sacred Artifact from my homeworld known as Sacred Gears and this one that I have is one of the thirteen most powerful ones. The **[Boosted Gear]**. A weapon capable of doubling my power every ten seconds and in this current form, that cooldown doesn't exist," Issei said.

**[Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!]**

"Take this!" Issei said as he fired a beam of red energy at her.

Kiora leaped back and swiped her hand, dispelling the blast. Issei appeared in front of her and thrust Godsend at her. Kiora barely dodged and blasted Issei with water, sending him flying. She smirked only for her smile to drop when she saw a white barrier surrounding Issei.

"I have a whole lot more where that came from! **Nivizzium Mortars!**" Issei raised his hand into the air.

Kiora immediately slammed her palm on the ground and a jet of water, sent her into the air as several flaming missiles erupted from the ground underneath. She willed the water to form a barrier around her, deflecting the blasts.

"Hey!"

Kiora turned to see a massive bolt of electricity impacting her barrier, causing her to scream in agony as the electricity coursed through her body. Through sheer willpower, she gathered blue mana into her hand and dispersed the lightning.

She plummeted to the ground but caught herself with a cushion made of water that she summoned. Kiora got to her feet and jumped when Issei performed an ax-kick, splitting the ground open. The two planeswalkers clashed and danced as sword met bident in a flurry of sparks.

Kiora used Dekella to deflect Godsend and swept Issei's foot out from under him. Kiora brought Dekella over her head and stabbed it into the ground next to Issei.

"Fireball!" Issei said.

Kiora thrust Dekella forward, dispersing it.

_I can't last much longer. This form takes too much out of me. I have to finish this and fast_, Issei thought as he dodged Kiora's strikes.

_This kid is good, I'll give him that. With his two divine artifacts, he could possibly win this but no, what I'm doing is for the good of Zendikar, _Kiora thought. She slammed Bident down on Godsend, forcing Issei back a little.

"Give it up already!" Issei said, swinging Godsend forward. Kiora stumbled back and was sent flying by a kick from Issei.

Kiora impacted a wall and slid down, gripping her stomach in pain. She looked up at Issei, who had landed in front of her. His visor gazed down on her, sending a chill down her spine.

"How? How can you be this strong?" Kiora asked, coughing up some blood and wincing as pain ran through her body.

"Because I'm not a coward," Issei said, Godsend pointed at her throat.

"I am not a coward. I'm being pragmatic. Can't you sense it? Zendikar is being defiled by the Eldrazi as we speak. The binding didn't bind them to the plane. It bound the plane to them. The plane is being absorbed into their very being! If we don't unbind them and let them go, the plane will be destroyed alongside every living being! Everything we fought for will be for nothing! All the lives that depend on us to defeat these monsters!" Kiora yelled as fear gripped the tone of her voice.

"It's okay to be afraid but this… we would have found something. Did you forget that Jace Beleren is here? Did you forget that we have several minds capable of coming up with a contingency plan?" Issei said.

"And what pray tell, could you have possibly come up with?" Kiora asked.

"...," Issei remained quiet. How were they going to defeat them?

"_Issei?_" Issei perked up when he heard Chandra's voice through the link.

"Chandra," Issei replied.

"_I'm going to burn them."_

"What?" Issei asked.

"_I'm going to channel my mana through the plane's leylines and right into the Eldrazi and incinerate them from the inside out. The Eldrazi as they are right now are physical beings bound to this plane. If I channel my fire into them, their essence will be destroyed,_" Chandra said.

"Are you sure you can do it? Will this even work!?" Issei asked.

"_Of course! This is me we're talking about_," Chandra said.

"What about Jace? What was his take on all this? He's usually the rational one," Issei asked, keeping his eye trained on Kiora in case she tried anything while he was in a call with Chandra.

"_He gave me the go-ahead,_" Chandra said. "_Which is kind of hilarious seeing as he usually thinks things through. The Battle for Zendikar must be making him desperate since we're so close."_

"Alright! I'll keep Kiora from coming over to try and stop you," Issei said.

"_Alright._"

"Chandra found a way to destroy the Titans," Issei said, looking away from her and to the bound forms of Kozilek and Ulamog. Their drones still spawned but the Titans themselves were frozen, bound to the leylines of the plane by a combination of Ugin's Binding Formula and Nissa's access to the lines. The lines were visible, currently. Green, Blue, Red, White, and Black lines of pure energy crisscrossed across the ground and the air of Zendikar, tendrils of energy rising from the rifts and attaching to the Titans.

"Come on, Chandra," Issei said. A wave of heat washed over him, causing him to look back over in Chandra, Nissa, and Jace's location to see the leylines that ran from their location bleed red. The red light traveled across the crisscrossing lines. Flames and heat erupted from the leylines but did not burn any of the trees or earth around it. Eventually, the scarlet light reached Kozilek and Issei watched as the Titan stagger in its bounds as it raised its arms. Flames began to lick the Titans' base before traveling up its body as Kozilek's form was consumed entirely. Off in the distance, a similar event was happening to Ulamog.

Gideon and Tarzi watched in awe as crimson orange flames consumed Ulamog. The titan's sinewy muscle and bony mask began to turn black and charred as the flames ate away at Kozilek's flesh. The drones that spawned from both Titans suffered similar fates as their creators as their forms erupted in flames. Agonized shrieks from the drones could be heard across all of Timber Gorge as their flesh slowly became ash that was then blown away by the wind.

Issei grinned when he saw Ulamog's entire body turn to ashes as the flames died. Cheering destroyed the silence that followed the destruction of Kozilek as Ulamog soon followed. Ashes rained from the sky as Issei unsummoned Godsend and dispelled the **[Angelic Dragon Destiny Drive]**. Kiora looked on in disbelief after watching Chandra destroy the two Eldrazi Titans using the very leylines that were binding them to the titans and destroying the plane.

"I told you," Issei said. "We would have found a way to defeat them."

"I- What?" Kiora stuttered.

"Chandra seems to have found a chance and staked her hopes on that," Issei said.

"It's over? Just like that? Just because Chandra set them on fire?" Kiora asked.

"Kinda hard to believe but it is," Issei said.

Kiora said nothing as she stared down at the ground. All she had to do was trust them. They promised her that they would help save Zendikar and in the moment that they had the Eldrazi underneath their heel, she caved because the plane began to be assimilated. She caved underneath her fear and gave up before even coming up with a plan.

_What kind of leader am I? To give up so easily?_ Kiora thought as she clenched her fists, digging her fingers into the dirt. Without saying anything to Issei, Kiora stood and summoned Dekella back to her.

Issei immediately tensed the minute Kiora got to her feet. Sweat dripped from his brow as he prepared to enter his form again in case she tried anything. The ground shook slightly as Ddraig landed behind him. His claws were stained with the crimson blood and scales of the Leviathan that Kiora had summoned. He growled and bared his fangs at her.

"What are you doing?" Issei asked.

"Leaving… I have some things to think about. Like my actions against Nissa and the others, especially you," Kiora said. A torrent of water surrounded her as she disappeared.

Issei sheathed Godsend and unsummoned Ddraig back to the **[Boosted Gear]**. He turned around and began to walk back to where he and Nissa were before.

**[Was it really a good idea to let her leave just like that?]** Ddraig asked inside Issei as he yawned.

Issei remained silent before yawning as well.

"I think so… she can't really do anything now that Ulamog and Kozilek have been defeated. Granted, we still need to take care of Emrakul but she…," Issei's eyes widened at the thought.

**[What? What is it?]** Ddraig asked.

"Do you remember when we got here and they all said that Emrakul hasn't been sighted?" Issei asked.

**[No. I was taking a nap.]** Ddraig said.

"This is bad," Issei said. "Emrakul's not here. She could be anywhere in the Multiverse by now doing Ugin knows what!"

**[We'll worry about that later. Right now, you need to talk to the others. Something tells me that with Emrakul missing, this whole affair with the Eldrazi isn't over yet.]** Ddraig said.

"Ah! Issei!" Jace said as he spotted Issei landing behind them. The Mind Mage walked over and placed a hand on Issei's shoulder. "You did well today."

"Thanks," Issei said.

"Hey, you two!"

Issei and Jace turned around to see Chandra, Gideon, and Nissa, standing over by the edge of the cliff overlooking the Timber Gorge. Below them, the troops were partying their hearts out. Mer, Vampire, Human, Kor, Elf, and Angel all sang songs of merry and drank to their heart's content. Iona and Linvala smiled as they watched the other angels get into competitions with the other natives of Innistrad.

"We did it," Chandra said. "Saved our first plane!"

"Technically, you guys did. This is my… third?" Issei said.

"Alara doesn't count Issei. From what I heard, Ajani did all the work when he absorbed power from the Maelstrom and banished Bolas from the plane so this is your second," Jace said.

"Second?" Nissa asked. "You're telling me that this kid saved a plane before this one?"

"Ah yes, I heard about that from when I went back to Theros to go visit. You were one of the three that defeated the Planeswalker Xenagos after he ascended to Godhood. Excellent work on that one," Gideon said, slapping Issei's back.

"Yeah, well, he was as obsessed as Bolas with having Oldwalker power," Issei said.

"It's nice," Jace said. Everyone turned to him as he looked out over the camp. "These people are safe because a group of rag-tag dimension hoppers decided to band together to fight a bunch of tentacle monsters with the power to warp space-time. Well, a rag-tag group plus Issei."

"Hey! Why is it plus Issei?" Issei asked indignantly as he puffed his cheeks in anger.

"Well, kid. It's because you didn't join or take the oath," Chandra said.

"Oath?" Issei asked.

"Issei. Do you remember when I told you that we made a group to protect people from interplanar threats like the Eldrazi?" Jace asked.

"Yeah, I remember that though you never gave me a name for your little group," Issei said, looking at them.

"Our group is known as the Gatewatch, Issei," Nissa said, leaning on her staff.

"The Gatewatch's purpose is to deal with threats to the Multiverse as a whole. Threats like the Eldrazi, the Phyrexians, and... Nicol Bolas," Jace said.

Issei felt waves of fear run through his entire body. That name was a name that struck fear into his very soul. He still remembered the encounter he had with the Planeswalker on Alara during the Conflux, an event that merged the Shards of Alara back into a single Universe.

_Issei stood helpless as he watched Ajani battle against what Issei only saw as the Devil itself. Inside the __**[Boosted Gear]**__, Ddraig tried to offer courage to his host despite feeling the paralyzing terror emitted by the being in front of them._

_A massive golden-brown dragon with malevolent green eyes stared down at them as it spread its massive wings, blocking out the light of the sun and the Maelstrom. A pair of curved horns decorated the top of its head as a golden gem floated in between it. The dragon wore gold armor that covered its breast and golden vambraces. At the end of its three fingers were sharp talons and it possessed a tail that was as long as a telephone pole._

_But the worst part of it was the power. Issei saw no end to it. This thing was no Planeswalker. It was God. No… Gods did not look as malicious nor as demonic as the being in front of Issei._

"_Run cub! Run and find Elspeth!" Ajani said as he held his ax firmly._

_The dragon laughed as it raised its hand. The fabric of Alara shook and warped as streams of white, black, red, blue, and green energy erupted from the plane and into the dragon itself._

"_What shall you do now, Planeswalker?" the dragon asked in a deep, menacing masculine voice. _

_Ajani narrowed his eyes._

"_Heh. The child is right to cower. He knows that it is folly to stand against me. I am finally going to regain the power I had back then. The power to shape the entire Multiverse as how I desire it to be!" the dragon said as he slammed his hand into the ground._

_Ajani leaped back, grabbing Issei with him._

"_Nicol Bolas!" Ajani said. "Even if I die here today, I cannot let you win. For the sake of everyone here and on all other worlds, I shall now allow you to regain your power!" _

"_Foolish cat!" Nicol Bolas said._

_The two sent spells at each other and the world erupted in a bright flash of light._

"Issei!"

Issei blinked when he saw everyone staring at him. He smiled sheepishly and tried to laugh it off.

"Are you alright? You went quiet and white for a second there," Chandra said.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just reliving some bad memories," Issei said.

"Oh, that's horrible," Nissa said.

Jace and Gideon eyed Issei for a few seconds before continuing with what they were saying.

"Right, as we were saying, this group would defend the Multiverse from threats such as New Phyrexia," Jace said.

"Do I need to travel everywhere with you guys constantly if I were to join?" Issei asked.

"No," Chandra said. "That would constrict our freedom as individual Planeswalkers. We will convene when needed though or meet up to hang out. It'll be like a club on Ravnica."

"Oh," Issei said.

"So, Issei," Jace said. "Would you like to take the oath of the Gatewatch?"

_What should I do? If there is a threat, I'll be pulled away from everyone else as a result… I can't just keep leaving my homeplane like that. What if a rogue planeswalker comes and attacks it?_ Issei thought.

"Jace, if I join, will you help me keep my home plane safe if I ever need it?" Issei asked.

Jace remained silent as Issei told him his request. Chandra, Nissa, and Gideon all looked at Jace as a million thoughts were present all at once within the Mind Mage's azure eyes. After a few seconds, Jace looked Issei in the eyes and nodded.

"We are the Gatewatch. We keep planes safe and that includes your home, Issei. Even if you didn't join, you're an old friend so yes, I would," Jace said.

Issei smiled at his words and drew Godsend. He placed the blade on his palm and ran it across, quickly. White and red mana poured from the wound as Issei channeled the magical energies.

"Until all can feel safe in the place they call home, I will keep watch," Issei said. His right hand flared as the mana formed a draconic symbol with angelic wings.

Jace and Gideon grinned as Issei pledged himself while Nissa smiled. Chandra walked up to Issei as he lowered his arm and wrapped her arm around his shoulder. She took her fist and rubbed her knuckles against his hair.

"Ow, quit it!" Issei laughed as Chandra ruffled his hair.

"Welcome to the big boys and girls club, Issei," Chandra said.

"Yes, we look forward to working with you. I, especially, since this is the first time we have ever worked together," Nissa said.

"A kid who can stand up to the Gods of Theros. Welcome to the team kid," Gideon said as he patted Issei's shoulder.

Issei looked at Jace, who had on his trademark smirk.

"Welcome to the Gatewatch, Issei," Jace said, extending his hand. Issei firmly grasped and shook it, fully initiating Issei into the group.

**Unknown Location**

"Just you wait," a woman said as she carved arcane symbols into a stone. The sounds of the swamp echoed around her as crickets, frogs, and the moan from the occasional ghoul or so echoed throughout the marsh.

The sky above her lit with the stars and the Moon hung proudly in the sky, bathing the land and waters around her in its silver light.

"Ten years you confined me to that Hell. Well, now, how will you feel when I tear down everything you love. Everything you have ever built upon this world. This disgusting, crumbling world," the woman said as she eyed the corpse of a villager next to her. Its entrails were spilled all over the ground. The villager's jaw had been ripped clean off, leaving only the top half of the head. One of its eyes was missing and a massive hole could be seen in its skull.

Next to the corpse was the dead body of a vampire. His mouth was encased in stone while rocks impaled every part of his body. It was a shame that he died too early. She could have had more fun with him before moving on to the main course.

"Of course, vampires have never been powerful compared to others," the woman said as she inscribed more runes onto the stone. Her flaming orange eyes looked down to inspect her own handiwork as a twisted smile appeared on her face. Her white hair fluttered in the cool breeze.

"I wonder who will fall first. This plane, it's people, the monsters," the woman asked herself as she carved another rune onto the stone. "This will be a fun little game to play."

"Oh well. My world fell to ruin as those monsters ravaged it after they were set free. So let's see how you feel when your world is the one that's being destroyed," she said as she finished imbuing the stone. The stone hummed with power and began to levitate alongside several smaller stones with the same runic inscriptions.

The woman's smile became even more twisted as the stones hummed, sending out small minuscule pulses of power. She felt its connection to the other lithic monuments she had made across the plane, growing in strength. Dark clouds manifested above the sky as a feeling of foreboding fell across the entire world.

All manner of living being trembled as a shadow cast itself over the world. A red-haired vampire wearing the clothes of nobility looked up at the sky.

An angel with blonde hair, carrying a scythe with a heron's head and beak at the top, stopped mid-flight as she felt it. An essence whispering into her core. The angel's eyes narrowed as it stamped out the influence.

"What was that just now?" the angel asked as she looked towards the sky.

The woman smiled when she felt the connection complete itself and felt _it_ getting closer.

"Almost there now, my dear Emeria," the woman said.

"I never thought in all my life that I would be using you to enact my revenge on a man who I thought was my friend. A man who I thought loved me," the woman said as she placed her hand on a stone. Her grip crushed the stone, shattering it to pieces. The pieces melted instantly and coalesced into a sword. Her orange eyes lost their flaming aura and became silver.

"So Sorin… what should I do first?"

* * *

**So next chapter, we'll be returning to the Kuoh People to see how they fare against Kokoapuffs. And with that, have a great day/night or not, the choice is yours!**


	17. HIATUS

**The one thing no one wants to hear. Hiatus. Yes, Beyond the Gap is going on hiatus. Mainly because I have gotten the one thing writer's fear: Writer's Block. I cannot find figure out any way to begin this chapter nor the next so I'm going to take a smol step back from this story for a while. At least, until I get my mojo back, whenever that may be. I'll see you guys in this story in a bit. But, this story needs to cool down a bit for a while.**


	18. Announcement

**To everyone reading this story, I have a big announcement to make. After extensively reviewing this story, I have decided that our current trajectory will... take way too long to reach our intended destination. The original plot that I drafted made me pale when I looked at it because Bolas would be introduced in Chapter 40 something. Now that is not ideal. As such, I have decided to rewrite this story. Don't fret. I have drafted the first ten chapters so be ready. The chapter shall be projected to go up sometime in the next three weeks so keep a lookout. To everyone who was with me in this project so far, thank you! This little pet project was to see if I could write my first crossover and it surprisingly worked and it's all thanks to you guys!**

**-Crimson**


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